September 2014

The gospel of F.R.I.E.N.D.S How a TV show can change your life EDUCATE + ENTERTAIN

SEPTEMBER 2014 || ` 75

www.youthincmag.com

YOU MIGHT BE JOBLESS BUT YOU’RE NOT HOPELESS!

Are you too young to date?

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JOBLESS BUT NOT HOPELESS

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THE GOSPEL OF FRIENDS Our way of showing Friends some love 20 years since it first graced our TV screens

A guide to coping with unemployment after college

HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG?

Is there a right age to date?

We try to find out

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

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DISTANT YET ACCESSIBLE

Educate AWARENESS

18 THINGS YOU DO EVERY DAY

THAT ARE ILLEGAL Did you know that these little things you do every day are against the law?

OUT OF THE BOX CAREER

20 LANDSCAPES AS PRETTY AS

PORTRIATS Love landscapes and gardens?

Maybe a career in landscape architecture is for you

CAREER WATCH

URBAN, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Distance education transcends age, location and country. This month, Youth Inc explores the many facets of this educational system

FOREIGN SHORES

30 BE AN EARLY BIRD The importance of early research for foreign education

SPECIAL FEATURE

32 MULTITASKING MAVENS Meet this young breed of youth who are venturing beyond the bounds of convention PAGE

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34 THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN

22 BE A SMALL SCREEN SCRIBE TV writing is all about interesting characters and intriguing plots

THE SWORD 17-year-old Sanay Shah talks about his passion for fountain penmaking

HOW-TO-GUIDE

SPECIAL FEATURE

GUIDE A DIY guide to the GRE

PAPER Follow these tips to write a better research paper

50 HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH

24 SELF-PREPARATORY GRE

WORKPLACE HACKS

28 THE LANGUAGE OF MY BODY

Body language is everything in a job interview. Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do

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PRODIGY

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FOCUS FEATURE

52 A MASTERFUL QUESTION What’s more important, work experience or a further education?

Youth Incorporated SEPTEMBER 2014

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Entertain TRAVEL

61 FALLS OF GLORY

7 of India’s most beautiful waterfalls to visit during the monsoon

POINT OF VIEW

FASHION

68 DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES

70 FASHION’S NEW ENTRANTS Youth Inc picks three best gen-next designers from LFW 2014

Nisha JamVwal talks about finding happiness through life’s troubles

BEAUTY

FITNESS

GIVE YOUR SKIN A BREATHER Organic makeup lets your skin breath; use more of it

66 WHICH YOGI ARE YOU?

Solve this quiz to find out which yoga style is for you

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WWW.YOUTHINCMAG.COM O N L I N E E XC L U S I V E S GETTING TO KNOW PATRICK BRYSON The debut author talks about books, his favourite authors and his novel, The Sad Demise of Manpreet Singh WHY WOMEN NAG? Pooja Shetty tries to figure the real meaning behind women and their ‘nagging’ 10 OF THE FUNNIEST MOMENTS FROM FRIENDS 10 seasons and 236 episodes later, here is our list of the funniest moments from the show

STAPLE DIET EDITOR’S NOTE…10

EDITORIAL CONNECT…12

AROUND THE WORLD…16 EVENT DIARY…26

COUNSELLOR Q&A…55

WORD ZONE…56 THE G SPOT…72 IMHO…76

HANGOUT…80 GRAFFITI…82

SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated

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Editor's

note

An investment in knowledge pays the best interest Benjamin Franklin imparted these words of wisdom years ago, but its relevance holds true even today. Many consider distance studies as the unwanted child of education. People are aware about its existence, but are sceptical to commit to it. Don’t shy away from applying for distance education courses; any kind of education is an investment. The major reason why people steer clear of distance education and opt for traditional, full-time courses is the significance that it holds. Distance education courses are not considered when applying for jobs; distance education students receive no classroom experience – these are some reasons why its popularity today is debatable. Through our cover story we elucidate its different modes in India, debunk myths about it and tell you why distance education is no less than full-time courses in its knowledge imparting capacity.

September sees a number of students preparing for the GRE exam – a necessity when applying to universities in the US. While the exam is crucial and not an easy one to crack, there are ways around spending thousands of rupees on tuition classes. Invest the money you’d otherwise spend on classes in self-study books, as we demonstrate self-preparatory ways for the GRE. Yes, it is a tedious pursuit, but not impossible.

Take a break from studies to read our list of instances from TV show Friends that knowingly and unknowingly shape the lives for every 20-something. We agree, every friend fulfils some role – a support system, a critic and a partner in crime. With such an important role to play, I firmly stand by the belief that friends are the family we choose.

The fifth of September is celebrated as Teachers’ Day. What would we be without the teachers who taught us most of what we know today and influenced us in more ways than one?

Students, take a moment to appreciate and thank them!

Nitish Shah

Volume 4 Issue 3 September 2014

Editor-in-Chief NITISH SHAH nitish@youthincmag.com

Editorial Team

APARNA SUNDARESAN TRISHANN HENRIQUES

Editorial Interns

DEVIKA SONI AARUSHI AGRAWAL NIRVA VIRA

Art & Design

MOULVI ABBAS HASAN GAURAV DODIYA

Ad Sales

CAROLINE SAMSON coo@youthincmag.com HEENA SOPARIWALA sales.mg@youthincmag.com NANDINI BARJATIYA sales.hd@youthincmag.com

Marketing

DHWANI CHHEDA marketing@youthincmag.com PRATHAMESH DESHPANDE marketing.hd@youthincmag.com MANIL DODANI digital@youthincmag.com

Circulation

SHANTARAM AMBERKAR NISHANT SHINDE

Administration GEETA NAIK

For advertising, subscriptions and circulation mail@youthincmag.com +91-22-2351-6622 / 6609 Printed and published by Nitish Shah on behalf of Splash Publication Pvt Ltd Published at: 9 Forjett Hill, British Express Bldg, 2nd floor, Mumbai 400036.

Editor: Nitish Shah

Admin office: F9&10, Commerce Centre, 6th Floor, 78 Tardeo Road, Mumbai 400034.

Printed at: Repro India Ltd Plot No 50/2, TTC MIDC Industrial Area, Mahape, Navi Mumbai 400 710, District Thane All content in print and online is owned by Splash Publication Pvt Ltd under international copyright laws. No part of the content can be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the publishers. Publishers will not be held responsible for the content of the magazine including accuracy and effects. All disputes will be subject to the jurisdiction of competant courts in Mumbai only.

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Follow us:

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SOCIALLY YOURS

YouthIncMag

@YouthIncMag

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S At the Indian Power Brand Conference 2014, our celebrated columnist Nisha JamVwal was awarded for her outstanding work. Nisha took home the award for ‘India’s Most Promising Brand Consultant for Out of the Box Thinking’ and was recognised for her creativity, innovation and out of the box thought.

Congratulations on winning this prestigious award!

N I S H A !

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Hardik Nagar http://thatindianminimalist.wordpress.com/

PERSONALITY OF THE MONTH

 @I_THEINDIAN

This ‘unknown’ entity, as he refers to himself, has a unique sarcasm, a special place for Alia Bhatt in his heart and even more sarcasm. Your one-stop-for-funny the Indian way.

This 19-year-old doling out advice and sharing his thoughts on life is someone you can easily relate to. His purpose: simplifying, decomplicating, de-cluttering life, letting go of excesses, and focusing on and enjoying the essentials. He will take you on a journey of finding more from less. “Minimalism will assist you in finding freedom. And true happiness,” he says. Goodbye existential crisis!

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“If something falls from your hand on to the floor, it’s mine.” ~ Dogs Take the ice bucket challenge? Nice try ice & bucket industry, nice try.

Alia: I failed in Maths but I think my teacher is in love with me.

Varun: Why? Alia: He gave me loads of hugs & kisses all over my paper X0X0.

Fun Fact: If you are reading a Chetan Bhagat book, while on the bus, nobody will sit beside you.

Guys who wear fluorescent crocs are God’s mistakes

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Contribut rs m nth VIGNESH SUNDARARAMAN Vignesh is a budding chartered accountant and CMA (US) based out of Chennai. He is also a freelance model. Writing is a passion for the 6’1” young lad, and he loves reading corporate fictions and informative self-help books.

LISA JAIN Lisa is the Representative of The College Board in India. She was previously the Head of Marketing at an international school in Kolkata and has worked in the Equities division at UBS Investment Bank in London for two years.

SHREEJA MAHAMBRE Shreeja is a media student who dreams of becoming a journalist some day. She loves reading and will read almost anything.

Photography and travelling are among her other hobbies.

RAZI SHAIKH Razi is a freelance writer based in Mumbai. Among other things, he writes on technology and relationships. He is currently working towards majoring in journalism.

PALAK KAPADIA Palak is a media student and aspiring journalist. A parttime writer and a full-time dreamer, she likes eating, reading, translating things to French and people who use good grammar.

NIKHIL PUNJABI 19-year-old Nikhil is a tech enthusiastic, an ardent reader and a music lover. Currently studying Bachelor of Mass Media at Jai Hind College, Mumbai, his other interests are politics, current affairs, reviewing gadgets and writing features.

SUCHITA PARIKHMUNDUL Suchita has written for print magazines in the past and is also a published poet. She dared to crossover to the online realm and writes for a website now.

PANKHURI SHUKLA Pankhuri, a student of Hiranandani Foundation School, Mumbai is an avid reader who loves writing poetry and blogging. She began writing at the age of 10. An aspiring journalist, who got her first break at the age of 14 as a part of Youth Incorporated’s first Junior Editorial Board in 2012, she continues to contribute to the magazine.

SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 13

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READ YOUTH INC ON YOUR SMART DEVICE COVER STORY

THE SECRET WORLD OF THE MBA

The MBA is a much coveted degree that is believed to have almost magical properties. It is believed to open all sorts of doors and deliver fat paycheques to the bearer. This magical MBA is usually only associated with finance, marketing and HR, but the degree is so much more than that. Youth Inc explores some lesser known specialisations that offer an equally exciting study experience

A master’s degree in business administration is a one-way ticket to success. Or so it is believed all over the world.

In India alone there are 4,500 business schools that collectively have the capability to churn out 3,60,000 managers annually.

The MBA began existing as a legitimate degree in 1908.

In a century’s time, it has gone from being an obscure field of study to one of the most sought-after ones. The promise that an MBA can secure one a job just about anywhere is unique; no other degree or qualification can guarantee an education with similar universal appeal or application.

No wonder then, that in a country like India where money is scarce and jobs out of reach the MBA finds so much favour.

However, with the increased interest in the MBA, there is also much ignorance and confusion about the degree.

The three specialisations that nearly every student hankers after are finance, marketing 40 Youth Incorporated AUGUST 2014

and human resources (HR). But the science of management exists beyond these three fields. It is possible to do an MBA in a subject as academic as economics, as industry-specific as IT and rural management, and as versatile as international business, operations and infrastructure.

It is not only the curriculum that is wide; the modes of study have broadened too, beyond full-time classroom learning. The MBA can now be studied from the comfort of your home, during your free time, during weekends and even from the other side of the planet. The online MBA, part-time (executive) MBA, customised MBA and the oneyear intensive MBA have all been developed to cater to the schedules and budgets of all kinds of people who might be interested in the degree.

The world of business is vast, exciting and continually evolving. Is it any surprise then that the MBA too is matching step?

AUGUST 2014 Youth Incorporated 41

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educate

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Can’t find a job after graduation? Fret not! You may be jobless but not hopeless...

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K E E PI N S I D E 

Pg22 Pg24 Pg50 Pg52 BE A SMALL SCREEN SCRIBE

SELF-PREPARATORY GRE GUIDE

COMBINE YOUR LOVE FOR TV AND CONCOCTING STORIES TO BECOME A TELEVISION WRITER

DON’T SPEND A BOMB ON CLASSES; FIND OUT HOW TO STUDY FOR THE GRE EXAMS BY YOURSELF

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HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH PAPER RESEARCH PAPERS ARE MORE THAN JUST COPY-PASTE EFFORTS FROM THE INTERNET

A MASTERFUL QUESTION IS HIGHER EDUCATION NECESSARY IN THE 21ST CENTURY? WE FIND OUT

8/27/2014 8:38:55 PM

EDU NEWS

NEW BUSINESS SCHOOL OPENS AT LONAVALA, MAHARASHTRA  iFEEL, a residential business school, has opened its doors in Lonavala.

The school offers a twoyear PGDM programme with specialisations in finance, human resources,

marketing and operations.  The course is recognized by AICTE and will focus on providing personal experiences, management lessons and wisdom to students.  Recipient of the Dharni Sinha award for social innovation, Dewang Mehta Award for a business school which encourages innovations that lead to better development, and Best Young, Asian Residential Value for Money Business School with Global Connect at the Asian Education Leadership Awards, the school has a number of accolades to its credit.  Its Entrepreneurship Cell ranks fifth in the IIT Bombay National Entrepreneurship Challenge and the college’s RAIN lab (Reflect, Act, Innovate, Nurture) boasts of faculty from Malardalen University, Sweden.  They began the academic year of 2014-15 with a programme themed ‘Ignite, Involve, Innovate, Inspire’ on 26 July 2014.

ONGC OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS TO SC AND ST STUDENTS The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is offering scholarships to choose SC and ST students pursuing careers in engineering, medicine, business administration, geology and geophysics.  ONGC is awarding 500 scholarships to Scheduled Class (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students worth `48,000.  Out of the total number of seats around 50% seats reserved for girls only.  Courses available through scholarship are engineering, MBBS, MBA and master’s degrees in geology and geophysics.  The scholarships are spread across five zones in India, offering 100 scholarships in each zone.  To be applicable, the annual income of the applicant’s family should not be more than `4.50 lakhs per annum (i.e. `37,500 per month).  Age limit of the applicant is 30 years and the deadline to send in applications is 30 September 2014.  Declaration of results will be on posted on the ONGC website by midDecember.

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BRITISH DEPUTY PM ANNOUNCES NEW AWARDS  The UK’s Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg visited St Xavier’s College, Mumbai for a special interaction with the college’s students.  He opened his talk-cum-interaction with a few comments on strengthening ties between the UK and India through various initiatives in the near future.  He also revealed the introduction of the Dadabhai Naoroji Award in the realm of commerce, education and culture.  The award will be run by the British Foreign Office and will be announced annually.  It will be handed over to outstanding individuals bring about profound change in areas of commerce, culture and education.

HDFC LIFE AND MANIPAL UNIVERSITY LAUNCH PF DIPLOMA IN INSURANCE  Two of India’s respected brands, HDFC Life and Manipal University have joined hands to launch a PG diploma in insurance.  The launch of the course comes as great news to those looking to make a career in the field of insurance.  Those who successfully complete the course will be placed at HDFC Life and will be given a starting remuneration of `2.5 lakhs per annum.  The launch of the course is a great way for students to increase talent in the finance sector like banking, insurance and financial services.

TRA ANNOUNCES THE MOST TRUSTED INDIAN INSTITUTES  TRA (Trust Research Advisory) recently released their report on India’s Most Trusted Educational Institutes for the year 2014-15.  The study considered 7710 institutes across 40 different cities.  The respondents – students, teachers and parents – were asked more than 700 questions. The collective data resulted in a total of more than 7 million data points collected across more than 20,000 hours of fieldwork.  Out of the 30,000 colleges selected to participate in the report, only 1000 were shortlisted.  This report lists India’s 1000 Most Trusted Educational Institutes, India’s Top 200 Institutes on Academic Parameters and 120 of India’s Most Preferred Courses.  The concluding report listed 10 colleges across the country, out of which Hindu College, Delhi, IIT, Delhi and Loyola College, Chennai took the top three positions.

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LOUIS K., FLICKR

AWARENESS

THINGS YOU DO EVERY DAY THAT ARE ILLEGAL Did you know you’ve already broken the law without realising it? Manil S. Dodani reveals how

Speeding

Did you think this existed only abroad? Speeding constitutes a major section of traffic offences that are committed every day, all the time in India. You see speed signs on roads?

Those are not for decoration. To illustrate: the Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai has become a speedway for car owners, with cars speeding above 80km/h during peak hours on a prescribed limit of 50km/h.

Smoking in public

No, you can’t smoke at a bus stop. Nor at a train station. Nor even inside a taxi or an auto-rickshaw even if you’re the sole person riding it. Smoking in public places is banned. And in this context ‘public places’ means cinemas, offices, hotels, restaurants, markets, shopping malls., hospitals, college campuses, parks, bars and clubs. You’re allowed to smoke only on roads, inside your house and vehicle, and other places with a designated smoking area.

Internet piracy

Globally, India is one of the largest

hubs for online piracy. Downloading movies, music and copyright content from the internet is absolutely against the Indian copyright law, as are uploading copyright content to the web. By the way, saving images off the web, uploading them elsewhere like Reddit, making memes out of them, using them in your projects, etc are illegal too. That image does not belong to you; its copyright belongs to someone else, so you can’t profit from it without their permission.

Littering

The Indian mentality – if it isn’t useful, toss it out. Littering the streets is an offence is certain cities in India. Throwing garbage, spitting or urinating in public places could get you caught and burden you with a heavy fine coupled with an intense lecture from your local sweeper/ municipal official on why keeping streets clean is important.

Helmetless rides

The thrill of riding with the breeze in your hair and the city speeding by

is simply out of this world and also absolutely illegal. Under Section 129 (read with Section 177) of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988, it is compulsory to wear protective headgear while riding a bike. In Delhi even the pillion rider must wear a helmet. Reiterating the traffic police’s much loved road safety campaigns, “Raavan had 10 heads, you have only 1, so wear a helmet!”

Singing Happy Birthday to You in public

That birthday song you wait for every year is under copyright! Corporate bigwig Warner Music owns the copyright and has made illegal any public performance of the song.

Can you sing it in a house with only family and a handful of close friends around? Sure. In your college campus? Nope. On the streets? No way. The next time you want to loudly serenade your friend on their birthday, think about paying royalties to Warner. Explains why nobody sings the song in films and TV shows. yi

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OUT OF THE BOX CAREER

It’s not just buildings, bridges and dams that need architects; landscapes need them too. Shreeja Mahambre finds out what it takes to be a builder of gardens and open spaces 20 Youth Incorporated SEPTEMBER 2014

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A

rchitecture is the art of designing and building structures. But there’s more that meets the eye.

Architecture, like many other subjects of study, has various branches, and one of these branches is landscape architecture. Landscape architects design the surroundings of structures in a way that helps preserve the environment and also benefits the general populace. They create LANDSCAPE green spaces in overly congested cities, offices, ARCHITECT residential areas and places of recreation.

Job profile: A landscape Everything from local parks to huge offices architect designs in industrial areas comes under the ambit green spaces and of these architects. Outside of commercial incorporates them in a structure’s interests, landscape architects also take surroundings, so that up goodwill projects like the preservation people may obtain of mangroves, detoxification of rivers and optimum utility from restoration of other endangered areas. the surroundings.

THE FIELD

CAREER FACTS

Income: A fresher Landscape architecture is about creating a may earn `20,000 to balance between the natural environment `25,000 per month and the built one. This is achieved by planting depending on the firm trees and creating green spaces in concreteand the kind of projects filled cities. This isn’t restricted to parks and they undertake. Pay increases considerably gardens; nowadays landscape architects are as a senior architect hired to design and accommodate greenery in and especially when residences too. running your own firm as you dictate your THE JOB fees.

Landscape architects usually work with companies, contractors or freelance. At the Skills: Creativity, love beginning of any project they are required to for the environment visit the site and survey the area, the water and outdoors, sources available and the condition of the understanding of space soil. They then make a design for their clients and design, aesthetic sense, knowledge keeping the conditions of the site in mind. of environmental They are also mindful of future changes that processes and their may affect their design, like climate changes effect on structures. through the year, seasonal scarcity of water, changes in the soil chemistry, and so on.

Study: They also have to follow up on their designs  University of Pune, periodically, to make sure that it they are well Pune groomed and in proper shape.  Karnataka State The architects try to make the optimum Open University, use of the available resources so as to Mysore overcome the limitations of the environment.  CEPT University, Ahemdabad They try to make outdoor spaces green and  California State healthy. It isn’t enough that their creations are pretty to look at; they need to be harmless Polytechnic University, USA to the environment too, as well as benefit the  Cornell University, people who might inhabit and use the space.

USA

THE STUDY ROUTE

In India the route to this profession is via the bachelor’s degree in architecture offered all over the country. “During the architectural education you should be clear about what you want to do your master’s in,” advises Kalpak Y. Bhave, a professional landscape architect. “You should consult practicing architects in various fields to know more about it. You should have your focus on landscape through your entire study of architecture and you should enrol yourself for any related seminars and workshops and electives on landscape and environment. Your final year thesis also shall be landscape oriented. After your graduation you shall preferably work with a landscape architect for a year or two to have the practical flavour of the field.”

As Bhave mentions, landscape architecture may be studied in-depth as a master’s degree.

Nearly all degrees and diplomas offered in India in this subject are at the postgraduate level.

Undergraduate study is possible abroad.

THE PERKS

 Variety of projects to look forward to, as no two spaces are identical.  Opportunity to be self-employed and therefore fix your own schedules, pay and work flow.  Lucrative and has employment avenues in a number of places – government agencies, private firms, nurseries, etc.

THE CHALLENGES

 Constant follow-ups for maintenance and housekeeping of past projects.  Deadlines for projects can be close and tight, therefore architects may need to put in inordinate number of hours at work.  As part of a firm, one has no say in the projects assigned. An architect will thus be straddled with difficult spaces with little development scope along with the more pleasant ones.

THE SCOPE

With an increasing need to have a healthy environment and greener surroundings, the scope for this career is increasing by the day. Landscape architects are hired by corporate companies and builders of the numerous high rises dotting our cities. Not only companies but individuals too who feel the need to make their homes greener seek them out. In a way, landscape architects are the rock stars of their field. yi

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STEVE A JOHNSON, FLICKR

CAREER WATCH

A E B N E E R C S SMALL SCRIBE

DO YOU FIND YOURSELF riters are all the An all-encompassing job IVING MORE IN T V L In several instances writers are rage now. Believe LAND THAN IN THE YOU brought in as early as the genesis of it. Digital content a show. “While developing a fiction is the order of the EAL WORLD? DO R T show, sometimes a writer is brought day, and those who can produce IMAGINE PERFEC in to write character sketches, to help the content are kings. “PR firms, R O F S E IN L Y develop the characters or to write film promotion agencies, marketing STOR what are called the ‘I Am’ notes, the agencies, advertising production R FAVOURITE character arcs, etc,” says Mahabal. houses, everyone wants a good writer YOU ?

S R E T C A Then there is the task of actually these days,” says Chirag Mahabal, a R CHA D L writing the script. This is governed by television writer and currently the THEN YOU SHOU UR a strict deadline.

A daily show that creative director of Love by Chance, a Y YO does five episodes a week requires the romantic comedy on Bindass. And for PROBABLY TR writer to write at least four scripts on a a medium like television that serves to HAND AT WRITING weekly basis. Some shows require their entertain 24x7, writers are always in N IO IS V E L E T writers to work all seven days a week demand.

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to meet deadlines.

“Typically in daily fiction shows, the story, screenplay and dialogues are written by three different writers,” explains Mahabal. “This is done so that it lessens the burden on one writer to deliver, and you can hire writers that specialise in a particular dialect or can write dialogues really well for a specific region from India.”

Gajra Kottary, writer for Balika Vadhu, adds, “When you are experienced and you make a habit of thinking on your feet, then it’s possible for a scriptwriter to do two shows. Two, I think, is optimum; it’s like a full-time job. When I say two shows, I mean story only, not screenplay. Otherwise, attempting an eight or 10-page screenplay is quite a bit for a day.”

A pampered lot

“Good fiction writers are some of the most well paid, most pampered people in Indian television,” reveals Mahabal.

The pay in television has scaled astronomical heights in recent years.

“I know writers who’re making close to a crore of rupees a year. Kids should know that the TV shows running for more than 10 years now pay their writers `60,000 per script per day!

Let that sink in. Still want to be an IT engineer?” he adds jocularly.

The stresses

In the melee of tight deadlines is the constant revision to your script.

Scriptwriting never ends with the writer’s submission. “At every stage, there is enhancement; at every stage, there is a little bit of adaptation

and modification,” says Kottary.

Mahabal adds, “Channel producers are extremely unpredictable. If they don’t know what they’re doing or if they know what they’re doing too well, they can ask for several re-writes of the same episode.”

All writers face writer’s block and television writers are no exception.

Working on one project for months on end fatigues writers. Mahabal advises taking frequent breaks and working on a variety of shows to banish the blues.

The joys

Good money apart, television writers enjoy flexible working hours. “You can literally work from anywhere in the country,” says Mahabal. “You still have to answer to your production house and the channel, but as long as you submit your script on time and then the changes on time, you’re good.”

Becoming a TV writer

If all this sounds good to you and you want to learn the craft, there are a number of scriptwriting diplomas offered in India. But both Kottary and Mahabal insist that the best way to learn is to work in television under an established writer. “I was made a writer at Channel V when I didn’t know anything about TV,” says Mahabal. “I learnt on the job. I swung it. How does someone teach you how to write well? You either have a flair for writing or you don’t. Learning on the job is the best way to test yourself.

Force yourself down the industry’s throat, man! That’s the only way to do it!” We couldn’t have said it better. yi

Career facts: television writing Job profile: A television writer scripts all sorts of television shows – fiction (serials, sitcoms, etc) as well as non-fiction (reality shows, game shows, etc).

While in fiction shows the writer is hands-on with writing character sketches and scripts, in non-fiction he/she might have more of a production role – deciding the format, tasks, etc.

Income: A newbie may earn between `20,000 and `30,000. Increments are exponential and depend on the talent of the writer.

Skills set: Good imagination, good writing skills, ability to think of stories in episodic sequences, adaptability, ability to work under a deadline, discipline, ability to take criticism.

Study:

 The Film and Television Institute of India, Pune

 Asian Academy of Film and Television, Noida

GERALD RICH, FLICKR

 Zee Institute of Media Arts, Mumbai

 New York Film Academy, USA

 National Film and

Television School, UK

SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 23

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HOW-TO GUIDE

SELF- PREPARATORY

GRE GUIDE

The

world of competitive tests is full of complexity. Students, teachers and even parents invest months into preparing for GRE or the Graduate Record Examination for a ticket to study in some of the most prestigious universities and

Diss tuition classes and expensive books; there is a way you can crack the GRE exams without burning a hole in your pocket. Youth Inc tells you how

colleges in the US. Undoubtedly, this standardised test is not easy to crack, but does it actually mandate the amount of money and time that students invest in it?

While there are many who claim that hiring a tutor to coach you guarantees a good result, it is not

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always true. At the end of the day it depends on how serious a student is about the test, how much of time and effort he is willing to put in and his ability to grasp and study. That being said, it is possible to prepare for the GRE by yourself.

FOR STARTERS

Graduate students who apply for master’s degrees in engineering, psychology or any other non-business related subject areas have to appear for the GRE. So, once you know the course you wish to pursue, shortlist the colleges you’d like to apply to and set in mind a score you’d like to achieve.

TEST YOUR LEARNING ABILITY

The GRE has two basic sections: verbal and qualitative. The verbal section tests a student’s vocabulary, reading, comprehension and critical reasoning. Quantitative on the other hand accesses high school level mathematics knowledge. In India, graduate students from mathematics backgrounds will have an added advantage while preparing for the maths section as they are exposed to it throughout their junior and senior college years. Maths might be a cakewalk, but the true challenge lies in the verbal section for these students.

Those with non-maths backgrounds might find both the sections challenging. The best way to test your capabilities and your need for preparation is to take a practice test using Power Prep for GRE, a software available at the GRE website.

STUDY PLAN

Your Bible, Gita or Quran is the ‘big book’. It is a compilation of test papers along with answers. Released exclusively by ETS, this book is what you need while preparing for the GRE. Assuming that you have your study material and course work in place, make a daily study plan – set aside two hours daily for just GRE prep.

10

WEEK STUDY PLAN WEEK 1 Go through the ETS big book and make a list of the words you do not know. Look up a dictionary and start making your own word list. Make the big book your guide; do not refer to wordlists from other books or portals.

WEEK 2 The ETS big book has over 26 tests and you need to try and remember as many words as you can. Don’t just memorise the words – try and create sentences which will help you remember the words.

WEEK 3 For the quantitative section, buy the Practicing to Take the General Test book. Use ‘the review of the quantitative’ section to brush up on your maths concepts.

WEEK 4 Start practicing maths problems topic by topic and identify the areas you need more practice in.

WEEK 5 Now that your vocabulary is a little better, start with the analogies section of the verbal portion of the test. Use the tests from the ETS big book.

GRE PREP WITH APPS

 Ultimate GRE Prep  Magoosh GRE Prep  GRE Quantitative Formulae  GRE Quantitative Ability Quiz

WEEK 6 Progress to the sentence completions and antonyms questions. Again, use the questions from the big book to better your verbal skills.

WEEK 7 Dedicate this entire week to the reading comprehension and the essay writing component of the test. You can use the essay topics from the Practicing to Take the General Test book.

WEEK 8 Practice mixed maths problems from all topics. Use the big book and the Practicing to Take the General Test book for this.

WEEK 9 Now you are ready to practice an entire GRE test at one stretch. Make sure that there are no distractions around you. Time yourself as well. Try and finish one test per day. You can use the paper tests from the ETS book. Avoid repeating the tests; instead, choose to solve different tests each time you practice.

WEEK 10 Make optimum use of online software like the GRE Power Prep. They are freely available and will make your study easier.

READY, SET, GO!

This 10 week self-study guide is perfect for those who are juggling jobs and other day-to-day tasks and cannot completely commit to classes.

Classes also tend to be expensive, so if you’d rather invest that money into your college fund, self-study should be your first choice. To aid in your preparation, you could take online word and numerical quizzes. These should not replace your GRE-driven prep, as outlined above, but should be supplimentary. Ace that test! yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 25

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Umang ‛14ege, Mithibai Cboalli Mum

The Guitar Wars event created awesome music at Umang

Shahid Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor and Vishal Bhardhwaj showed up to promote Haider

The folk dance event added colour, verve and ethnic goodness

Singham Returns made an appearance too

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WORKPLACE HACKS

The language

of my body “Come

into my parlour,” said the spider to the fly. And poor Fly Number One began to shake as he walked in for his interview with the spider. His little insect knees began to knock together, and the arachnid could tell the fly

It’s not just about saying the right things at an interview with your mouth – but with your body too.

Suchita Parikh-Mundul breaks down the body language basics when meeting a prospective employer

was nervous. He seemed weak – both in body and spirit. Fly Number One certainly did not measure up. Nope, thought the spider. This fly just will not do. So the spider swooped down and finished him off in one clean gulp.

Burp.

Next came Fly Number Two. This little trooper had decided to put his bravest foot forward. He had prepared himself. He had practised his walk, his handshake and how he would present himself. Fly Number Two was determined to triumph.

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WORKPLACE HACKS and-collected cucumbers can ace their interviews and bag the job. Wouldn’t you want to be this guy? Or fly, as the case stands? Come to think of it, everyone wants to be as fly as this fly!

So how do you wow the interviewer? How do you create a brilliant first impression that has the interviewer at “Hello”? Here are some cheat-sheet tactics guaranteed to help you succeed in an interview. Note: At this point, it’s understood that you’ve done all your research. You’ve gone through the commonly-asked interview questions. You’ve read-up on the company you’re interviewing with.

You’re as mentally prepared as can be.

What follows are guidelines to nail the subtleties that can make or break the deal. That is, your body language.

What interviewers are reading

He displayed a very calm and together exterior. The spider was suitably impressed. This fellow may just be the right candidate, he thought to himself. “Come into my parlour again tomorrow,” the spider said to the fly after their interview was through. “I’ll show you the ropes.” Fly Number Two had succeeded. He was now the newest employee at Cobwebs Incorporated. Bravo.

The message here is not that interviewers are like carnivorous arachnids waiting for a weak candidate to feast on. Or that interviewees are commonplace flies.

The message here is that ultra cool-

Realise that an interview is where you will be judged for every move you make and every breath you take. They will be watching you. Because body language speaks volumes. Finance professional Rohan Murthy shares, “When I realised I was doing fine at an interview, I happily settled back into my chair as the interviewer continued talking. That change in my body language was immediately picked up. I could feel the interviewer going on alert mode. Things pretty much went downhill from there. Looking back, I can understand why my relaxed posture brought on the alarm bells. Who wants to hire someone who’s sending out chilled-and-easydude vibes during an interview?” he chuckles.

Clothes maketh the person

Your appearance makes a difference.

Be well groomed. Dressing like a hobo for a corporate interview is a no-no. “But getting decked up can work against you too,” appends HR executive Lalitha Chavan. “We had a woman who came in for her interview dressed to the nines – tailored outfit, caked-on make-up and chunky

jewellery. But we’re an NGO, so she was already a misfit in our eyes.”

It can’t be stressed enough – dress appropriate to the job.

It’s in your face

Speaking of eyes, it’s important to maintain eye contact with your interviewer. Shifty eyes give the impression of an untrustworthy person. And lowered eyes scream low self-esteem. In case you have more than one interviewer, try to briefly make eye contact with one while answering the other’s question.

“However, don’t make it look like you’re watching a tennis match!” advises editor Aruni Rathore.

Keep your head straight. It suggests self-assuredness. Or tilt your head slightly. This shows you’re listening interestedly. You can also show that you’re paying attention by nodding at appropriate times. But don’t be a bobblehead! You’ll come off over-eager and silly.

Watch your mouth! Keep your lips relaxed. Pursing your lips suggests disagreement and disapproval of what’s being said, and biting your lips suggests nervousness.

Hold yourself up

Posture is important. “It’s easy to dismiss anyone hunching or looking exhausted,” shares recruiter Radhika John. Also, avoid crossing your arms at your chest. It comes off as defensive.

Not the ideal quality in an employee.

“We don’t just observe candidates during the interview. We observe them while they’re waiting their turn and as they head out too,” she reveals.

Keep yourself on interview mode from the second you enter the building till a little after you’ve left to cinch the deal.

Handshakes say a lot about a person, so keep them firm. Not limp (that says pushover), nor bonecrushing (ouch!), but firm (ah, just right!). A nod and a smile to greet your interviewer as you enter is ideal.

There you have it, the tools for a positive interviewing experience. So go forth and gain employment, Super Fly! yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 29

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FOREIGN SHORES

Be an

Early Bird

How early must a student begin preparing for an international education? Lisa Jain, the representative of The College Board in India elaborates

M

any students who aspire to study abroad believe they need to start planning for it only in class 12. What they don’t realise is the amount of time, thought, and effort it requires. Which is why a student should begin the ground work in classes 9 or 10 in order to

gain a clear understanding of what the college application process entails and to be prepared to deal with the pressures that will follow.

is important to never lose sight of this and try your best to perform well in academics throughout high school and not just in class 12.

In classes 9/10

Understand yourself

Focus on school grades and marks.

Universities look at a student’s academic transcripts of 4 years (9-12), if not longer. It

Students should try and understand their own personalities, interests, skills and aspirations by trying their hand at different

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things. An understanding of oneself can help students choose activities sensibly as they begin thinking about building their profile.

Start profile-building

Universities abroad don’t just focus on academics. Experiences and achievements beyond studies – in school and outside – are also valued.

Some students believe they need a long list of extra-curricular activities to strengthen their application, but this is a myth. Instead, showcase involvement in a small number of activities over a long period of time; choose a sport, the arts, writing, research, community work, etc. You should have created impact in the activity, climbed to a leadership position, grown as a person and developed skills. Picking something in class 12 and claiming it’s your passion won’t work. A profile building is important because experiences from the activities undertaken could form the base of your essays.

Begin research

Which country do you want to apply to colleges in? Understand how the overall experience differs between countries – USA vs UK vs Singapore and so on. Attend college fairs and learn about different universities from your seniors, friends and family who’ve been through the experience before.

Researching early on will make the college and country selection process less overwhelming in class 11/12.

Read and write

Being able to write well and carry out research are crucial skills needed at university. Develop these habits when you’re younger and they will be of tremendous help to you in your applications, and also in college and life. Make it a habit to read books and the news.

Prepare for test-taking

Standardised tests like the SAT are an important part of your application.

While students should aim to take

these tests in classes 11/12, they can start preparing for them earlier through options such as the PSAT (Preliminary SAT), a test conducted

by The College Board, the makers of SAT. By taking the PSAT in class 9/10, students get a real sense of what the SAT is. The PSAT score report gives students detailed feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. By identifying weaknesses early, students understand what they need to work on most. The PSAT also gives free access to My College QuickStart, a free webbased college planning tool.

In class 11 think about what you want to study

Some students know exactly what they want to study at college, while many others are confused. It is normal to

overall ranking.

Take your tests

Students should take their standardised tests (such as SAT) in class 11. This way, if you need to retake, you still have time for it later.

Also, it helps reduce the burden in class 12. If the universities you plan to apply to require other tests, such as SAT subject tests, you can consider completing these at the end of class 11, or early on in class 12.

In class 12

All your efforts in classes 9-11 will help ease your burden in class12. Now, this is a good time to:  Attend college fairs and understand individual university requirements, application deadlines etc.

Universities abroad don’t just focus on academics.

Experiences and achievements beyond studies – in school and outside – are also valued which direction to take, so don’t panic if you’re a bit lost. Start reflecting on what you’d enjoy learning as this might also determine the college you choose.

Begin the shortlisting process

Determine which factors will determine your choice of colleges. Is it the location, or the university’s rank in your chosen course? Will you only apply to colleges that give financial aid to international students, or ones where you can pursue hobbies and activities? Every student is influenced by different factors when choosing universities. Don’t blindly look at rankings; instead, shortlist 10-12 universities that meet your needs.

If you must look at rankings, check the university’s rank in the course or major you want to pursue, and not an

 Work with a college counsellor and your parents to finalise the list of 8-10 colleges you will apply to.  Essays: Writing essays takes time, and there are many to write. All the profile building will help you come up with good content. Give yourself a few months to perfect your essays. Start early with your drafts, get feedback, and keep improving till you’re happy with the final product.  Compile your application. Fill in your forms, get your letters of recommendation and finish your financial aid documents and anything else the universities require.

College applications are hard work, no doubt, so make sure you have a plan to tackle every component. If you do everything at the right time, you will find the process enjoyable and realise there is hardly a reason to stress. Good luck with your applications! yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 31

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Multitasking Multitasking SPECIAL FEATURE

Mavens

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achievers, askers and cently neos, this new of Gen Y eaking the ndaries of ntionality. n Henriques ores the mics of this w trend Fr e

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32 Special feature.indd 32

Overachievers, multitaskers and Overachievers, moremultitaskers recentlyandneoIndians, this new more recently neo-Indians, this Y breed of Gen new breed of Gen Y are breakingthe are breaking the boundaries of boundaries conventionality.of Trishann Henriques conventionality. explores the Trishann Henriques dynamics of this new trendthe explores dynamics of this new trend

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28-08-2014 18:09:41

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outh today are constantly in search of something new.

Ditching monotonous day jobs to explore different ambits in their professional and social sphere is just one of the many areas where societal and professional conventions have taken a back seat.

These new breeds of youngsters are not only testing different waters in terms of their capabilities, but are also finding a bridge between making a career, pursuing their hobbies and breaking the laws of routine. To put everything into perspective, Bricy Fernandes, a social worker, baker, KPO analyst and a neo-Indian says, “Hating monotony is the secret to managing multiple careers.”

The neo-Indian

A youngster’s idea of professional life a decade ago would be completely different as compared to what it is today. Good grades through school, a coveted degree in college and a well-paying job would be the three things that every youth would want.

Today however, this idea is disjointed; the young are seeking happiness more than money, popularity, and a so-called steady career. Neo-Indians are leaping out of their bordered peripheries, juggling their 9-to-5 jobs while also making their hobbies mainstream, studying and also starting businesses – all with the love and angst to explore the varied avenues that life has to offer.

The reason

“The secret is to do everything that comes naturally to you and makes you smile when you hit the sack. As far as possible I try to do the things that make me say, ‘Woah! Life is awesome!’” Says Shreya Naik, a decoupage artist and the owner of an artist management company. The thrill of doing what they love is the key to managing multiple careers. For some, their day jobs are nothing close to what they love to do which is why they choose to develop and pursue their hobbies on the side or as part-

time endeavours, while many others delve into different aspects of one single career like singing and band management.

Forget the money

To get any business on the road, one of its first aspects would be money. The money invested into different businesses varies depending on its scale and enterprise. While it would take a good amount of business knowledge, a substantial amount of money and experience to begin a business, youth today think otherwise. Relying less on family businesses and money, they’re taking bold steps to start their own businesses at the tender age of 20. Aditya Sawant, a 22-yearold graduate from Les Roches International School of Hotel Management didn’t wait to begin his business. He is the proud owner of Vedge, a new Mumbai-based restaurant. Like him, there are many more who don’t think waiting for the right time is important, instead, they choose to learn on the job – sometimes going with their gut and other times through trial and error.

9-to-5 jobs are too mainstream

There are a handful of youth who, today, choose conventional forms of employment that require them to dedicate a certain set of hours to their work. They have begun to choose jobs that explore both their social and professional prowess. Freelancing and self-employment are two areas that most youngsters are choosing.

Masoom Minawala, a 21-yearold fashion blogger, the owner of stylefiesta.com and a business woman has carved a niche for herself. Her love for fashion through her blog has her today rubbing shoulders with fashion’s ‘it’ crowd. Clearly, the traditional career path of working a way up a company ladder and waiting for years to find a footing in an industry are slowly becoming archaic concepts.

Education is an investment

Any kind of education, however different it is from an individual’s current profession, is never a waste.

After all, education opens a person’s mind making them more aware about the world around them. The youth today are seeing truth in this principle.

Whether it is a three-month course or a two-year programme, youngsters today are not holding back on honing their skills and enhancing their knowledge. yi

Famous multitaskers

aaNeil Patrick Harris: Actor and awardwinning magician aaTaylor Lautner: Actor and karate champion aaHarrison Ford: Actor and a private plane and helicopter pilot aaZooey Deschanel: Singer and actor aaFarhan Akhtar: Film director, producer, screen writer, actor, playback singer, lyricist and host aaSaif Ali Khan: Actor, producer and guitarist SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 33

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PRODIGY

Meet Sanay Shah, a 17-year-old with a love for all things vintage and an unprecedented adulation for fountain pens

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n ordinary day in the life of a 17-yearold would include spending his days in college, hanging out with his friends and studying over the weekends, but Sanay Shah is a different kind all together. Along with pursuing his studies, he is also the owner of a luxury business. Might you ask what kind of ‘luxury’ business could a 17-year-old run; Sanay Shah is the owner of The Penman Co, a company that makes and designs fountain pens.

T he pen-maker

Most kids are encouraged to begin their induction into writing with pens by using ink or fountain pens.

The reason, they offer a steady grip and give room for an individual to develop his own writing style.

Sanay Shah too began writing with fountain pens, but has not yet given up on them. Currently studying mechanical engineering at the College of Engineering, Pune – Sanay’s love affair with fountain pens began early on in his childhood. From using them to beautify his writing, Sanay now produces them from nib to design beautifying the product itself.

Fountain pens and all that jaz z

“Pens are a basic need and are something that will always have a certain charm.

They are timeless, and the power of a hand written note is unparalleled,” says Sanay of his love for pens. Sanay is a fountain pen connoisseur in the true sense of the word. So much so that to learn about the art of penmaking, Sanay has travelled to Andhra Pradesh, the heart of the fountain pen industry in the country. He has also made trips to Calicut, Tenali, Hyderabad and Rajahmundry all for the love of learning the

craft and enhancing his knowledge about it.

Artisan at work

Each pen is handcrafted by Sanay himself. From installing nibs to fixing the barrels and finally designing the exterior of the pens, Sanay does it all – all painstakingly handmade.

It is therefore no surprise why a pen from The Penman Co has a starting price of `6,000. When asked about manufacturing these beauties, he says, “The pens are made by hand on a lathe and drilling machine and the nibs and converters are all imported from Germany.”

Initial investment

An initial investment in any business is extremely important. To get the ball rolling in any kind of business, an investment plays a crucial role.

You’d think for a lad of 17, a business investment could have come only from his parents. In Sanay’s case, however, the initial investment didn’t come from his parents, but was a product of his own hard work. “I taught IGCSE and A Level students privately and raised money. I’ve not taken a single penny from my parents.”

Own a fountain pen

Fountain pens are one of those objects that will never go out of style.

However, over the years they have been replaced by roller ball and gel pens, and hand-written notes have been replaced by computer-based prints and emails. Yet, Sanay believes that the fountain pen is here to stay.

“A fountain pen’s nib adjusts to your hand. More importantly, they aren’t use and throw like most items today.”

T he business

“Profit should not be the sole motive.

Provide top notch stuff, and charge for it, but ensure quality. My pens have an unlimited warranty,” Sanay advises young businessmen and women who look to him for inspiration. In a day and age when the purpose of any business has become profit, Sanay’s

SHORT SCRIPTS WITH SANAY Famous people you’ve designed pens for Prem Panicker, Nitin Pai and Sidin Vadukut Pen-makers you admire All Indian fountain pens, irrespective of make Your first investment I’m waiting to turn 18 and start investing it!

Your inspiration My granddad Besides pens, an object you’d like to design Suits stands out. His love for the art of fountain pen-making has indeed been the sole reason behind its inception.

While he has his set of clients whom he sells pens to across the globe, one of the biggest challenges he faces is convincing people about the use and the beauty of a fountain pen. yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 35

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COVER STORY

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Distance education has existed for decades now, but the advent of technology has given it quite a boost in the last few years. Today, it is possible to earn any kind of qualification from anywhere in the world. Youth Inc’s cover story this month reveals the many ways distance learning is catching up with traditional learning

A

t the face of it, distance education sounds like a concept straight out of a science fiction novel. The instructor and the student are in separate geographies. They never meet physically, but manage to communicate in such a way that the student learns what the instructor intends them to. Add a few explosions, some futuristic technologies, a handful of action scenes, and hey presto! this could very well be a Hollywood blockbuster.

This revolutionary idea was seeded in correspondence courses which, when devised in 1800s England, were meant to provide education to those people who lived in rather remote areas and did not have education facilities nearby. They would receive all their study materials – textbooks, notes, research papers, etc – by post.

They thus received an education like they received letters – hence the term ‘correspondence’ course.

Today correspondence courses are just one aspect of distant learning.

The umbrella of distance education has swelled in size, thanks to the kind of technologies available today.

Correspondence courses themselves have progressed to materials beyond pen-and-paper, including DVDs and audio recordings. The internet has further made possible the existence of online classrooms – emails, live chats, multimedia conferencing, forums and other technologies that replace actual classroom learning. Another facet of distant learning combines the best of traditional and nontraditional learning: self-study with occasional real-world classroom lectures.

With so many modes of delivery, the learning style in distance education is therefore relaxed and more studentfriendly. Since the turn of the century, as internet penetration improved, the number of students studying distance has only grown. In the mere eight years between 2000 and 2008, American universities reported that the number of students in at least one distance class increased from 8% to 20%.

And this figure will continue to grow as internet connection proliferates further.

In a country like India where there are more obstructions than clear roads to education, distance learning is a boon. There are a multitude of distance institutions and open universities in the country, the majority of them offering accredited qualifications at the certificate, diploma and degree levels. Additionally, a number of noted institutes, like the IITs, have jumped on to the massive open online courses (MOOCs) bandwagon, offering a number of modules and subjects online for free.

MOOCs have given distance learning a considerable boost, and though they are not replacements for online universities, they certainly complement learning.

In the end, education has boiled down to this in the 21st century: if you have a computer and an internet connection, you can learn anything.

SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 37

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COVER STORY

Distance education in India has one too many facets. Before you choose a course, get to know its many multiple routes 38 Youth Incorporated SEPTEMBER 2014

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O

n the exterior it may seem like a single body functioning in many different ways. But in truth, distance education is merely an umbrella term that covers its many facets and modules. The select few aware of distance education associate it only with the open school model.

However, there are a host of other modules that also fall under distance education. Open i.e. single mode universities, dual mode universities and MOOCs are 3 of distance learning’s branches.

RAISON D’ÊTRE

The raison d’être of distance education is to impart knowledge to those who wish to learn. There are no constrains in terms of geography, language, age and even religion, thus making it more accessible than full-time courses offered by universities across the country. The premise of distance education is to also offer education and highly subsidised rates, thus making it more accessible to anyone willing to learn. There is also a greater

THE BENEFITS OF DISTANCE LEARNING FLEXIBLE: Since a student has the privilege to choose when he wishes to study and for how long, distance learning courses are much more flexible compared to traditional learning programmes.

POCKET-FRIENDLY: The fees charged by distance education colleges and universities are nominal.

GOOD PROFESSORS: Almost always students of distance learning are taught by some of the most talented and skilled professors.

NETWORKING: Through student forums a student stands the chance to network with people from across the globe and also from different age groups.

TRAVEL: An advantage of distance learning is the lack of travel. There’s no need for a student to travel from home to college every day.

concentration on permitting a student to learn at his own pace as opposed to full-time courses that expect one to rush through studies and exams.

THE DUAL MODE UNIVERSITY

Jamia Millia Islamia Universty, one of the most popular in the country is known for both its full-time and distance education programmes.

Borrowing from both full-time and distance teaching styles, dual mode universities are chosen by a host of different people – the youth and adults. Since dual mode universities adopt two different teaching styles, the learning is considered to be more analytical. Students of dual mode universities attend physical lectures while also mixing online modes of study. A blend of both styles, more often than not, gives learning the balance of full-time and distance education. Dual mode distance education works for those who do wish to completely succumb to online learning, but who like a healthy mix of full-time and distance learning.

the likes juggle many lives while also pursuing a higher educational degree. The primary focus of an open university is self-learning. A student is given the prerogative to manage the time he dedicates towards studies.

Open learning offers learning options like physical classes, study material and also online course work. It is up to the student to choose the kind of way he’d like to learn. This style of learning goes down well with several youth who wish to keep their jobs but also wish to enhance their knowledge.

THE MOOCs

Massive Open Online Courses were launched with the intention of garnering mass participation in online courses via the world wide web.

Coming to the fore only as recent as 2012, MOOCs have today become one of the most popular means of distance education. A student can choose from an array of courses easily accessible through sites like Yale, MIT, edX and the like.

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

Open university is probably the most popular route of distance education.

It facilitates learning to those who cannot afford full-time learning, those who cannot commit to fulltime learning and more importantly, those who are averse to constant study and examinations. A majority of those who choose distance education via an open university do so while managing different careers and jobs. Undoubtedly, the more feasible option, a student of IGNOU, YCMOU, Mumbai University and

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COVER STORY

o y u l l a

sy rn st

‘O

pen education’ is a term that gets thrown around a lot, especially by politicians. But what does it mean? And is it being implemented?

Open education is a system of making education accessible to as

n- lea

A n m e

ca

The open education system in India, aimed at bringing education to those who can’t access it, is in fact a system that is open to all. Here’s what you need to know about it

many people as possible by removing as many obstructions to it as possible.

For many, traditional education is a struggle. Either distances weigh them down or the lack of facilities in a school or college does. Or barriers are put up in the form of high entry requirements, eliminating several applicants. Open

education attempts create a system where neither distances nor lack of facilities or even high cut-off marks limit one’s learning. While this is the aim of normal distance education too, open learning differs in that it is much more flexible than standard distant learning offered by mainstream

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universities and colleges.

In India, there are plenty of open universities catering to higher education. The bastion is Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in Delhi. IGNOU has local centres throughout India and is considered the largest university in the world with 4,000,000 students.

WHAT’S SO DIFFERENT ABOUT OPEN LEARNING?

Several things. For a start, it is more learner-oriented. A student is given top priority in open schooling. Can’t finish a degree in three years? No problem. Take your time. Six years is good too. But there is a maximum permissible period for every course for ease of administration. Didn’t get very good scores in class 12? That’s not a hindrance either. Open universities just need you to clear your HSC for a bachelor’s degree programme.

However, a higher qualification like a master’s degree requires a bachelor’s degree, as per UGC rules. You are also usually allowed to be a student of another institute and an open institute simultaneously.

WHAT’S THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE LIKE?

Extremely flexible. A reputed open institute allows its students to learn in whatever form they are most comfortable in. If you don’t like textbooks and printed notes, you may switch to videos or audio recordings.

If you don’t like that either, you may use the internet. If that doesn’t work too, you could visit the institute or one of its centres and perhaps attend a lecture. The aim is to learn. How you learn is up to you.

WHAT ABOUT EXAMS?

Most open institutes hold their exams at different times in the year, so the student may choose when they’d like to take the exam. For instance, at IGNOU the student may take the exams in either June or December.

WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DOES AN OPEN

COURSE CANVAS Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi Nalanda Open University, Patna Tamil Nadu Open University, Chennai Dr B.R. Ambedkar Open University, Hyderabad Netaji Subhas Open University, Kolkata The Global Open University, Dimapur

INSTITUTE OFFER?

All kinds: bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, diploma, certificate and some even a PhD. It’s up to the university what they’d like to offer. Just make sure that those who offer full-fledged degrees are recognised by either the UGC or the AICTE (in the case of engineering and management programmes).

MAY I CHOOSE MY SUBJECTS?

That’s up to the institute, but because open education aims to be as flexible as possible, a good open institute would let you choose what you want to study. Each subject costs a certain amount of money and offers a certain number of credits. Based on your budget and your credit requirements to graduate/obtain a qualification, you may choose subjects.

SO IT’S NOT FREE THEN?

No. Open education can’t afford to be free since it costs some money to provide quality education. However, fees are subsidised. For instance, a basic BA degree at IGNOU for an Indian student is a mere `6,000 for all three years. At Nalanda Open University, it is `6,600.

IS IT RECOGNISED? COULD I STUDY ELSEWHERE AFTER AN OPEN UNIVERSITY?

As long as the institute you study from is recognised by either the UGC or the AICTE, your degree qualification is recognised everywhere. This means you can go on to study in another institute. Previously, open institutes were affiliated to the DEC (Distant Education Council), but that body has dissolved, transferring all its responsibilities to the UGC. If an institute says it is DEC-recognised, it is possible it is now UGC-recognised.

WHAT IF I DON’T LIKE INDIAN OPEN INSTITUTES?

There are open universities abroad too! Open University (OU) in the UK is one of the most famous ones. OU functions much like Indian institutes except that most of its modules have no entry requirements whatsoever, and that some modules require mandatory classroom attendance. OU has plenty of international students studying in distance mode. There are open universities in other countries too – USA, Australia, Hong Kong, Netherlands and more.

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COVER STORY

DUAL MODE UNIVERSITIES IN INDIA

• Jamia Millia Islamia University • University of Pune • University of Delhi • Aligarh Muslim University • Andhra University • Karnataka State Women University • Calcutta University

The duality of distance education A mode of distance education in India is dual mode universities. What are these universities exactly and how do they function? We find out

A

major part of distance education in India is dual mode universities. Unlike open universities, dual mode universities have a different way of functioning. All dual mode universities adopt a blend of open and distance learning. While the method and the style of function of this university are different, its basic principle is to impart knowledge to anyone who seeks it.

THE DUAL UNIVERSITY MODEL

Dual mode universities are those that offer full-time and distance learning

courses. They not only include dual and distance models, but also adopt teaching styles from both models.

The courses for full-time and distance learning are more often than not different from each other. However, the course material may different depending on the university that a student chooses. Recognised universities in the country like Jamia Millia Islamia University are very popular for both its full-time and distance programmes.

DUAL MODE EDGE

There has been much debate about the manner in which dual mode universities function. On one hand it uplifts the

principle of imparting knowledge to anyone irrespective of geographic bounds, but on the other hand there is also the mandatory face-to-face style of teaching that is borrowed from fulltime teaching.

DUAL VS SINGLE MODE

Which mode of teaching is better?

Which one is more beneficial? It all depends on the student and his desire to learn. Single mode universities rely heavily of teaching through the internet; this can be helpful to those who juggle jobs and families. Dual mode, on the other hand will require a student to take on face-to-face and virtual and physical study methods.

This is helpful for those who wish for an added sense of assistance and guidance while studying.

A full-time teaching method is in so many ways more helpful as compared to computerised portions and online teachers. Face-to-face interaction is also a crucial part of the entire learning process and hence dual mode of education comes to hold significant importance. On the contrary, dual mode of teaching is a far cry from what the cusp of distance education is all about – spreading knowledge irrespective of location.

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The new classroom With the growth of the internet, distance learning has been given a massive boost with the emergence of massive open online courses – MOOCs

A

new branch of distance education emerged in the late 2000s – massive open online courses. MOOCs gave the opportunity of education to people who did not have access to it for various reasons. They connected students and universities across the globe and continue to do so.

MOOCs are free non-degree online courses with unlimited enrolment for anyone who wishes to learn without any regard to their current educational

TOP FIVE MOOC PROVIDERS

status. Think of it as an online version of the open school model. Today it connects some of the world’s leading universities and brings their courses to anyone who has access to the internet. The subject options range from computer science to medicine to literature to photography to humanities. MOOCs are now offering a paid credential ‘Verified Certificate’ for someone who wishes to showcase their online learning achievements in the real world.

MOOCs are an emerging educational body. While they are yet to take over the traditional classroom set-up, they are still proving to be a big advantage to students across the globe by bridging gaps between them. The discussion forums on many of these courses bring together students and teachers and the exchange of ideas is like never before.

It is very common for students to be confused about their possible majors. Taking courses on MOOCs can help them get a better view since a student may dabble in as many

COURSERA: Brings to you courses from University of Pennsylvania, Sapienza University of Rome, Yale University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong EDX: Associated with IIT Bombay, Harvard University and Berklee College of Music iTUNES U: Download lectures from the University of Melbourne, University of Oxford and Princeton University APNACOURSE: Indian panellists from various walks of life conduct classes WIZLQ: Courses from IIT Delhi and Des Moines Area Community College Additionally, IISc and the IITs in the country are offering their courses online under the banner of NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning), funded by the HRD Ministry.

avenues as they need to before making their decision. Thus, these courses are a boon not just to distance learning students but students in general. And these students could be anyone – the unemployed, housewives, retirees and just about anyone with access to the internet.

Students can spend their summer taking academic courses on MOOCs and get ahead of their class or develop a new skill. For instance, a medical student could take a course on photography, or a sociology major could try their hand at astronomy.

And then there’s the added bonus of being taught by professors from universities like Yale, MIT, Harvard and Stanford.

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COVER STORY

Students who choose distance education have their share of qualms about its courses, institutes and modes of learning. We debunk myths and answer some FAQs

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HOW EFFECTIVE IS DISTANCE LEARNING?

The success of distance learning courses is a subjective factor. It depends, most importantly, on the student pursuing it. Making time to study amidst managing a job is crucial. While many assume that studying for a distance learning programme is easier compared to a full-time programme, it is quite the contrary. Time management, avoiding succumbing to laziness and making time to read course content regularly can ensure effectiveness and success in distance education.

DOES IT HELP WITH A JOB?

Most distance education courses do not offer placements from the institute or university they are pursued from.

So, allegorically distance programmes do not help in terms of jobs. Professor Kishan Pawar, a professor of distance

education at Mumbai University says that on record distance education doesn’t help with jobs but it’s assumed by general public that IDOL students are more hard-working for they study on their own without regular teachers.

However, no matter what mode of education a student chooses it will help him with employment as it will enable him to think better, broaden his mind and think creatively. Yes, distance learning does help with jobs.

HOW IS DISTANCE EDUCATION DIFFERENT FROM TRADITIONAL EDUCATION?

The primary purpose of both distance and traditional education is to impart knowledge. The manner in which both these affiliates function however, is completely different. The major difference lies in the length of the programmes, the teaching methods, course content and the cost of the course.

IS IT DIFFICULT TO CLEAR EXAMS?

Every course, full-time or distance requires a certain amount of effort that has to be put into it. If that requirement is adequately met, clearing out the exams are a cakewalk.

DOES DISTANCE LEARNING INCLUDE CREDIT SYSTEM?

Credit system enhances the value of a degree internationally. So any course with credit points will have a greater importance in the future. That being said, not all distance education programmes have credit points for their courses.

ARE DISTANCE EDUCATION INSTITUTES RECOGNISED BODIES?

While there are many distance education institutes in India, not all of them are recognised. In India, the University Grants Commission is the body that awards recognition.

Before enrolling for a distance education programme under a specific university, make sure that you have done your research and are fully aware of the universities status in the eyes of the UGC.

IS THERE AN AGE LIMIT TO APPLY FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION PROGRAMMES?

There is no age barrier for distance learning programmes. Universities accept applications from students, housewives and even elderly citizens looking to add to and enhance their knowledge.

IS ATTENDING CLASS MANDATORY?

It depends on the kind of distance learning mode chosen. Some modes have online classes or e-learning options, while many others have weekend classroom lectures. Distance education is a combination of selfstudy and online/classroom study. A mix of both lead to good results.

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COVER STORY

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It’s hard enough to stay out all days and have accomplished STYLES After the grind of school, most people your weekly goal, you’re doing well. motivated under the know the best way they learn. While it pressure of traditional TAKE BREAKS TOO is important to study in a way you feel No good can come from hours of comfortable, it might also be useful college study, harder still continuous study. Your brain will to use a different strategy for different when you have minimal get tired and stop processing new portions of the coursework. Maybe information after a while.

Short you learn historical dates the best by supervision. Youth Inc has breaks taken every 3 hours or so will them down over and over some tips on how to power make you more receptive. However, as writing again. Why not try associating each through self-study with anything, moderation is the key. date with a particular picture? Change

I

t certainly is exciting to study in a non-traditional format. All that time you would otherwise waste travelling to and from a college campus, sitting in a lecture that has the most boring professor ever, struggling through mandatory classes that have no relevance to your subject whatsoever – is now yours for the taking. You are the master of your education. This seems almost utopian, but it has a serious downside – not having anyone breathe down your neck, while doing wonders for your creativity, is also destructive for your motivation. Without the threat of attendance, continuous assignments, professors’ supervision and hard-set deadlines, how do you stay motivated?

Don’t prolong your breaks longer than you have scheduled them for.

GET TALKING

Talk to someone through your progress – your parents, siblings, friends, anyone. The most effective talking, however, will be with fellow students of your course. Go online and get social with them. Several distance learning institutes offer the facility of online forums to talk to other students and sometimes even a professor or two. You’d be surprised by how helpful the community can be. For a start, set some goals or some friendly study competitions with fellow students – who finishes the study material first? As long as you can keep the people around you, you will be motivated.

START WITH A REALISTIC SCHEDULE QUESTION WHAT YOU’RE Timetables are not for schools and STUDYING colleges alone; you need them too so you can make the most of your day.

Create a comfortable and realistic schedule that can accommodate a sizeable amount of study time. Don’t go overboard. Don’t assume you will study 16 hours, for instance, and do everything else in the remaining 8 hours. Perhaps you should start small and then ramp up your hours as your progress with your course.

SET SHORT TERM GOALS

Take a look at your coursework and create a weekly lesson plan. Decide how much you should learn by the end of a week. Track your progress with a calendar; at the end of every productive day, cross the day out. At the end of the week if you have crossed

Not question as in, “What is the point of doing this?” but “How am I helping myself by doing this course?”

Think big picture. Think about how doing the course would help build your future. Is there a certain career or a certain industry you want to be in? Will your course help you get there? If yes, push yourself to visualise your dream in connection with your studies. Alternatively, maybe think about what would happen if you didn’t finish the programme. Would you end up as a waiter in a fast food joint asking people, “Do you want fries with that?” That thought could scare you enough to continue studying.

EXPERIMENT WITH DIFFERENT LEARNING

around your learning method once in a while to make it that much more interesting for you.

QUANTIFY IN TERMS OF MONEY

This is a slightly modified version of the typical guilt trip parents like to use on their children. Divide your total course fee with the number of modules you’re taking. That should give you the cost per module. Now, consider a module you don’t feel very inclined to study and look at the amount of money associated with it.

How much is it? Is it large enough to buy you something you really want?

Equate the worth of the education you’re getting out of it with the item you want to buy. For instance, if a module on astrophysics as is expensive as a smartphone, tell yourself that if you drop out of it, you’re wasting the money that could buy you a smartphone.

FINALLY, REWARD YOURSELF

Positive reinforcement is a powerful thing. Every time you finish on or before schedule, give yourself a small reward. Maybe award yourself a larger break time. Or buy yourself a treat.

Or maybe even that smartphone at the end of your course. But the converse must be put in practice too i.e. whenever you go off schedule or transgress, punish yourself by taking away some privileges. This system might seem childish to you, but it works on people of all ages. And when you’ve been studying hard, a longer break time is the most beautiful thing to have. yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 47

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COVERISSUES YOUTH STORY

Are your friends’ employment and job-related updates on Facebook driving you insane? Fear not, we’re here to rescue you! Palak Kapadia gives you the how-to on surviving unemployment after college

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n an alternate universe, life rolls pretty much the textbook way.

You graduate from college, get that dream job, make loads of money and enjoy work so much that you look forward to it every day. In that world, no new graduate would ever have to deal with unemployment. But hold on a moment, real life doesn’t work that way. Be it because one didn’t find something great at the placements, chose not to settle or simply didn’t get selected, the fact that recent grads can and do find themselves unemployed is extremely common.

But before your friends’ ‘Started working at…’ updates on Facebook, your parents’ “What are your plans for the future?” and your neighbour’s daughter’s husband’s uncle’s “Beta, kahaan naukri karte ho?” make you

want to take a plane to Antarctica and never return, we have some tips on how to survive the post college unemployment.

FIND AN INTERNSHIP

No, they aren’t going to pay you much and yes, you might have to bring your boss coffee at times, but let’s face it – internships are indispensible when it comes to adding value to your CV. A lot of corporates and big brands have a minimum requirement of graduation for the interns that they take in. “I worked with Accessorize, one of the top most brands of accessories in the world for a few months after I graduated. I handled their social media and to say that the experience was amazing would be an understatement. The kind of exposure I got there is unbeatable and the mention of a brand as reputed as Accessorize on my CV grabs eyeballs wherever I go!” says Pooja Shah, a recent graduate from SVKM’s Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Management in Mumbai.

Besides, a lot of companies have a potential absorption of their interns.

If they love your work while you intern with them, you just might end up with a job offer!

FREELANCE

A lot of professionals these days prefer freelancing vis-à-vis taking up a full-time position. Freelance assignments allow you to work on multiple projects at once and explore various avenues. You are free to take up as many assignments as you can handle, hence effectively using your time and building up your portfolio.

Also, since you will be working for various corporates in your field of expertise, the contacts that you make will go a long way in helping you secure a job. However, do ensure that you have enough money saved up for the few months or so that you plan to freelance. Freelancing doesn’t pay as much as a full-time job, and there are times that assignments run dry.

START UP YOUR OWN VENTURE

Whoever said that you had to work for someone to make money? For those who’d prefer to be their own boss and think they have what it takes, go ahead and start your own venture.

Jay Bhansali, dropped out of his final year of a media studies degree to work on his dream of filmmaking. Driven by his passion and ceaseless zeal, he co-founded Veda Productions. “I’ve always had this thing of starting something on my own because I believed in doing something for myself rather than slogging for someone else.

The biggest motivation for me was to have my own identity in a crowd of millions – I wanted to find myself and use my capabilities to influence the industry with my charisma and work. I always believe my intuition and somewhere my intuition already knew what I always wanted and I just went with the flow! ‘Less are the days to be big!’ – that’s the maxim that drives us. It’s only been a year we’ve started Veda and we’ve been doing quite well! One of our videos with Shankar Mahadevan even got nominated for Honesty Oscars 2014, a category under the Academy Awards,” he adds with pride.

PICK UP A NEW SKILL

One is never too old to learn something new. Use the free time on your hands to pick up a new skill – it may be something relevant to your field of study. For instance, if you want to be a graphic designer, why not sign up for a course in photgraphy? Or Mr Budding Writer, why don’t you learn a new language? You may also learn something that you always wanted to, but somehow never got the time. You never know when these skills just might come in handy. Besides, which employer doesn’t want to recruit someone with proficiency in diverse fields?

All in all, not getting a job straight after college might just be the best thing to happen to you. There are tons of things out there, waiting to be explored!

All you have to do is look. yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 49

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SPECIAL FEATURE

HOW TO WRITE A RESEARCH PAPER A well written research paper makes for good grades, but are you doing what it takes to stand out and ace that test?

Devika Soni elucidates ways to make your research paper worthwhile

R

esearch might seem boring but everybody comes across it in their daily lives. When buying a new house, furniture or gadgets, opinions from family and friends and the people of the internet are taken into consideration – that’s research.

College research papers are not very different in style, but more often than not differ in its approach – papers written for an academic purpose are more formal, aligned and give a student marks. Here are points you help you master the art of research paper writing.

PICK A TOPIC

Picking a topic is crucial. Pay attention to topics chosen. Topics that are not interesting tend to become boring for the reader and the writer. What must also be kept in mind is the availability of substantial matter for research. Also consider the time allotted to complete the paper and the intended length.

Ultimately, making a smart choice regarding the topic will keep lots of problems at bay.

MAKE A LIST OF QUESTIONS

After picking a topic the work can

be made easier by preparing a list of questions that would be addressed in the paper. These questions should be interesting and narrow (inclusive of who, why, what, where, when) so that the answers can be compiled easily. Broad questions might seem like fun but there is a tendency of getting lost while answering them.

For instance, what are the effects of global warming? That is a very broad question. What are the effects of global warming on aquatic life? That will make the research more direct.

LOOK FOR SOURCES

Once the questions have been listed, the research begins. Make a reference list of all available sources. The sources can be classified as primary and secondary. Primary sources are research papers, books and official websites. Secondary sources comprise of interviews of people who have some expertise in the subject being covered. Listing sources will help later because it will give an alignment and a pattern in which the matter should be presented.

USE A VARIETY OF SOURCES

When writing a research paper don’t just stick to what is available on the internet. The bibliography compiled will leave a good impression if books and journals have also been cited. Visit a library, read books related to the topic and quote them. Some sources that can be used are encyclopaedias, yearbooks, journals, atlases and biographical reference books. Websites like jstor.com, with their collection of academic journals can serve as a major help. However, don’t forget to check the authenticity of the websites. A good way to tell is if the address ends in ‘.org’, ‘.gov’, or ‘.edu’.

TAKE NOTES WHILE RESEARCHING

It is helpful when notes are taken while researching. Use post-its, markers, notes, etc to keep track of interesting facts and quotes as the

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research is carried out. It makes the work quicker, easier, and forms a rough bibliography and reference list.

WRITE ELABORATELY

Don’t write at a stretch; break the matter into bits and pieces giving subtitles. It becomes easier not only to write but also read. Include a brief before starting the paper that gives an idea of what the paper will focus on.

The main body should be a detailed execution of the brief idea and the conclusion should be a summary of the paper. The conclusion should tie up all the loose ends and not leave any questions unanswered. The introduction and conclusion are very important as they leave the first and last impression. So take special care while dealing with the two.

AVOID PLAGIARISM

Whatever you do, do not copypaste! If the reader finds out, and by all means they will, it not only ruins reputation and undermines capabilities, but can also be dubbed

PROFESSOR SARITA JAISHANKAR OF JAI HIND COLLEGE, MUMBAI LISTS COMMON STUDENT MISTAKES  Not stating a clearly defined hypothesis  Not paying enough attention to plagiarism  Not paying enough attention to footnoting and bibliography  Not defining the methodology  Having variable conclusions

HER SUGGESTIONS

 Be aware of the dos and don’ts of doing research  Take a focused approach to the topic  Use relevant methodology for the research  Organise the data systematically  Do enough secondary research before and while writing the paper

as being intellectual property theft.

Staying original and having a unique voice is crucial to research paper writing.

COMPILE YOUR SOURCES FOR A BIBLIOGRAPHY

The reference list needs refining and citations must be added. A citation is giving credit to the author of a reference journal, book or academic work used in the research. There are different types of citation styles. APA – used for psychology and other social sciences. MLA – literature, arts, and humanities. AMA – medicine, health and biological sciences.

GIVE IT A SECOND AND THIRD READING

Once the research paper is ready, give it a second reading. Ensure there are no typos, punctuation errors and grammatical mistakes. If required, do a third reading also. It is advisable to have gaps between second and third readings and it gives a fresh perspective with each reading. yi

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FOCUS FEATURE

LAVLADINA, FLICKR

A masterful question

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A master’s degree now, after a job or never? Aparna Sundaresan analyses the relevance of higher education at a time when tremendous value is placed on work experience

t’s getting hot, hot, hot.

Competition, that is. And the world’s economies aren’t able to keep up. Work experience seems to edge out higher education in the race to employment. So must students now choose one over the other?

The wealth of work experience

For a lot of people, the norm is to graduate, get a job and work your way up. And as you move up the ranks, the experience you rake is as good as higher education. Nakita Saldhana, who works for a leading IT company,

says, “I think hands-on experience is more relevant and teaches you more than you could ever hope to learn in a classroom. A master’s degree these days is useful for networking and building contacts.”

Manoj Odunghat, a business development executive, who, like Saldhana, went straight to work after his bachelor’s degree, agrees. “I’ve come to understand that what you learn through experience stays with you for a longer time than what you try to pick from books.”

Moreover, students are realising that there is a disconnect between

books and the real world. Meera Bisht (name changed on request), who works in the development sector and took a year’s break between her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, attests to this. “I interned at NGOs [during the year off],” she says. “My internships were unrelated to my BA degree just as I had expected.”

“The world is moving towards a scenario where skills are given more importance than college degree,” adds Odunghat, but also admits that “a basic bachelor’s degree does help to kick-start your career. Kick-start and nothing more.”

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The wealth of higher education

On the other side are those who move on to a master’s degree right away.

For them, it makes sense to finish their education when they are already certain of their specialisation. And as Kimberly Ferrao, a fresh MBA graduate, puts it, “The lure of having another degree and that too a master’s convinced me to jump straight from my bachelor’s to a master’s.”

Work experience is valuable indeed but distracting. “I always knew that once I had a feel of what it was to earn some money, I would not like to put a stop to it. Had I started working right after my bachelor’s and settled for a job with a steady income, I would never have given myself a chance to pursue a master’s degree,” says Vignesh Sriram, a software professional.

Rithika Nair, who also didn’t take a break between her degrees, is of the same opinion. “It is difficult to get back into the studying world once you

start working. Difficult not in terms of admissions but in terms of getting the will power to drop earning and become a student again.”

However, Nair admits that continuing with higher education does have a certain disadvantage. “Your classmates who started to work while you went off to study have already completed two years of working, and though they might have started off at a lower salary, they now match up to what I would be earning as a starter.”

Gaining another degree does mean losing some work experience, but there are several other benefits too. Kirthana Iyer, a hospitality management professional and MBA graduate, mentions one. “Many companies who hire students on campus after their masters look for fresh and nouvelle ideas, no pre conceived notions, creativity and innovation and those who can make a difference.”

Danica Dsouza, who is currently doing a master’s degree in media,

offers another. “Work experience does matter but in no way is it more educational than a degree. Working in the field narrows your focus to essentially what you’ve been told to do. A master’s/PhD programme opens you up to so many other areas, which you may not have even considered before.” Dsouza worked in television for four years before she decided to go back to college.

Even Nikhil Warrier, a marketing specialist at a leading motorcycle brand, says, “Considering the industry I’m in and the fact that these days growth in one’s career gets stunted if one doesn’t have a higher degree it makes total sense for me to study further.”

Odunghat agrees, “I encourage sporadic thoughts of going back to academics so that one day, hopefully, I’ll be able to quit my job and study.”

He hopes to be a teacher someday, quitting his current line of work for good.

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FOCUS FEATURE

The middle ground

“Working for a few years after the bachelor’s degree can be helpful for students who aren’t clear about their goals, personal interests and abilities. When there is a competitive selection process for admission to a master’s degree or a PhD, it makes sense to pause, reassess one’s commitment, capability and capacity for the preparation and application process. A cost-benefit analysis in the context of the prevailing job market and one’s financial comfort zone would also help. Youth of the 21st century will be working 4-5 decades.

Commitment to continuous learning and skill building, being well-informed, adaptable and flexible will be important to thrive and succeed in this evolving and fastchanging workplace.”

- Jayanti Ghose, education counsellor

And then there is the third category of students whose drill is to graduate, get a job, quit in a few years, return to education. For some, it’s a compulsion – MBA aspirants, especially – but for many others a job helps them find their area of speciality. “I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do after completing BMM (Bachelor of Mass Media),” says Dsouza. “So it made no sense to jump right into any media-related postgraduate course without finding out my area of focus.”

This drill seems to have worked rather well for her.

“My work background was a major plus, since I could apply that expertise in class (lectures, assignments, etc).

I took up a media interactive course in my last semester, and I learnt programming and coding. I didn’t learn that at work, and I never thought about getting into that before, but in a master’s

programme you get to choose from so many varied and different subjects that it broadens your horizon.”

Iyer too elaborates on how working in the industry for a few years before her MBA was useful. “As I had done hotel management, doing a master’s degree [immediately] would have been an advantage as a degree, but I would not have had a fuller appreciation or knowledge of grass root operations and a working culture which is the key to service. I might have had the qualification to be a manager but not the qualities of an effective manager.”

In hindsight, even Ferrao, Sriram and Nair admit that some work experience might have helped them. “I believe that working for a while would have given me a clearer picture of what I wanted to do,” says Nair. “This would make a huge difference if you intend to go abroad and spread a fortune on your education.”

Warrier too indicates that a postgraduation would be helpful after some years of work. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with brand managers and marketing professionals from some of the top brands in the country. Most who are successful and well known are ones who have studied further after having worked for a number of years.”

Subscribing to the same school of thought is Sneha Nagesh, a communications professional. “I think I might have done a different master’s if I had decided to do one after work. Working gives clarity on what kind of skills one should develop for the business world.”

The consensus seems to be, yes, work experience is vital, but a master’s degree is vital too. The choice, therefore, is not between higher education and a career, but at which point in your career you need higher education. yi

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JAYANTI GHOSE

PHD IN FRANCE Q: What are the financial provisions for pursuing doctoral studies in France?

Arundhati Mahajan Obtaining financing for your doctoral training is often a precondition for admission in a doctoral programme in France. A new system of doctoral contracts has replaced the old systems of research allocations and teaching assistantships. Each doctoral contract specifies the objective and the duration of the mission of a particular doctoral candidate, as well as the type of activities in which the candidate will be engaged under the contract.

Doctoral candidates who devote themselves solely to research earn less than those who take on other tasks such as teaching, popularisation of research results or consulting assignments. You can find out more on http://www.campusfrance.org.

The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) is offering a three-year full-time (including one year of training) integrated company secretary course open to graduates and those who have passed the foundation course of ICSI, ICAI or Institute of Cost Accountants of India.

Therefore, you either need to wait until you graduate with a bachelor’s degree, or you need to study a foundation course in order to be eligible.

Candidates need to be less than 26 years of age as well to apply.

The course is being offered by the Centre for Corporate Governance, Research & Training (CCGRT) of ICSI at Navi Mumbai, just outside Mumbai. Admission is through an online entrance test, group discussion/interview. Find out more at www.icsi.edu/ccgrt.

ANSWER ANSWER

ANSWER ANSWER

Indian nationals are eligible to apply for recruitment if they hold an MBA degree or advanced diploma in general management, have five years’ experience/ training in systems and process management, IT systems management, HR management or financial systems management; and have passed MSCIT/ DOEACC examination and possess excellent computer application skills. Age limit is 25 - 40 years for general category with relaxations of upper age limit for SC/ST/OBCs, as specified. A preliminary written examination/screening test would be followed by a pre-personal interview assessment and viva voce for candidates obtaining the cut off marks as may be fixed by the High Court. Court managers are likely to be posted in district courts at any of the district headquarters, in the state of Maharashtra.

COMPANY SECRETARY COURSE Q: Kindly provide details of the classroom version of the company secretary course. Is it open to students completing class 12?

Sharada

MANAGEMENT IN SWITZERLAND Q: I would like to apply for MBA at IMD Switzerland. What work experience and test score would be necessary?

Vishal The majority of applicants at IMD for the MBA are between 27 and 34 years old and the minimum requirement is three years’ full-time work experience (the average is seven years). You can apply with either a GMAT or GRE score.

You must possess strong command of written and spoken English and one additional language in addition to English. Within six weeks after each deadline for applications (1 February/April/June/ August/September), IMD would inform you if they would like to meet you for the on-campus assessment day. You will be responsible for all travel expenses.

ANSWER ANSWER

COURT MANAGER ELIGIBILITY Q: What are the eligibility criteria and selection procedure for recruitment as Court Manager in Bombay High Court? Where would the appointed persons work?

Ranjeet H

ANSWER ANSWER

STUDY ABROAD

STUDY IN INDIA

Jayanti Ghose is a career and education consultant. She holds an honours degree in economics and a degree in education. Her research in career counselling and guidance spans more than 25 years. She pioneered the concept of career counselling and career writing in the print media. She is actively involved in personal and group counselling.

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WISE UP

1

2

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- By Niloufer Gandhi

1

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O W

Choose the option that is closest in meaning to the main word and complete the sentence.

1. Bisque (bisk)

The restaurant at the beach is popular for its delightful ambience and spicy crab ___. (a) soup (b) popsicle (c) gravy

2. Dredge (drej)

The head chef instructed her assistant to season the chicken with herbs and then ___ it in flour before frying it. (a) mince (b) coat (c) release

3. Julienned (dzu-li-en)

The appearance of the main dish was enhanced by the colourful _____ vegetables surrounding it. (a) mashed in a processor (b) cut into thin strips (c) chopped in big pieces

Gourmet cooking terms

Gone are the days when cooking was a chore. The Indian and international cookery shows on TV have paved the way for gourmet cooking, and ingredients that were once considered exotic have now found their way on almost everyone’s plates.

4. Sautéed (soh-teyd)

The waiter apologized when he served the buttered halibut without the ______vegetables. (a) deep fried (b) shallow fried (c) stir fried

5. Truss (truhs)

After stuffing the turkey, it is important to ____ it firmly before placing it in the oven. (a) tie (b) crack (c) dehydrate

Answers:

1. A, 2. B, 3. B, 4. C, 5. A

Word Pyramid

The clues will help you find the answers to complete the word pyramid. Each answer must contain the previous answer. You may arrange the words with a new letter.

Hint: Start from the top 1. Chemical symbol for oxygen

O

2. Sacred Hindu word symbolising Brahma Vishnu and Shiva 3. Famous cartoon cat-and-mouse team… ___ and Jerry.

4. A large, scholarly book 5. Recently constructed railway system in Mumbai 6. A wise and influential counsellor or teacher 7. A horrifying creature found in fairy tales 9. Rooms leading to a larger room 10. A connoisseur of good food

Answers:

ER, OM, TOM, TOME, METRO, MENTOR, MONSTER, MONTEROS, ANTEROOMS, GASTRONOME

8. Spanish hunter’s caps with side flaps

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yi

entertain

Want to try yoga but don’t know where to start? Take our handy quiz and find out which type of yogi you are...

Page 66

K E E PI N S I D E 

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Pg70

THE GOSPEL OF FRIENDS

FALLS OF GLORY

HOW YOUNG IS TOO YOUNG?

FASHION’S NEW ENTRANTS

20 YEARS AFTER FRIENDS DEBUTED, WE DERIVE LESSONS FOR OUR 20s FROM ITS EPISODES

THIS MONSOON GO ON A TRIP TO VISIT THE BEST WATERFALLS IN THE COUNTRY

THERE IS NO AGE REQUIREMENT TO START DATING, BUT MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE ONE

THE BRIGHTEST AND BEST DESIGNERS IN THIS YEAR’S LAKMÉ FASHION WEEK

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IMAGES COURTESY WARNER BROTHERS

ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

f o l e p s go

s d n e i r F

e h T 58 Youth Incorporated SEPTEMBER 2014

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ith c ried w brat e u o Y . m le i t h t he m. As we c e vision w d e h g e You lau lived wi t h t hry of t he t e ledare san u o sa un t he m. Y20 t h annive r s’, Aparna Slise s t hat i t t he non ‘Frie nd w and re a t we nt ie s o r e phe nomack at t he sh surviving you n looks b ally a bible o w as r e

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I

was 16 when I started watching Friends. That rebellious high school age when you want to feel older than you are. I figured I was old enough for the show. And I loved it. It gave me a glimpse of an adult world that I never knew existed.

A world where your skin clears up and your hair is always perfect, where you make money for yourself and your parents don’t dictate your life, where you live in your own apartment and have your friends over all the time, where you can date whoever you want and have all the sex you want. Oh my goodness, I couldn’t wait to be in my twenties.

But now in my twenties, I don’t live that Friends life. I don’t chill in cafés every day. I’ve never had a pet monkey and neither any Gunther-style secret admirers. But that does not mean Friends lied to me. On the contrary, my life now tells me that I had watched Friends the wrong way. 16-year-old me loved the glamour and the giggles.

But 20-something-year-old me pays attention to the fine print of the show.

The fine print contains every joy, every sorrow, every success and every failure you could possibly experience as a new adult. And here I lay bare that fine print so you can be as prepared for your grown-up life as I was unprepared.

JOBS ARE FOR WORKING YOUR WAY UP

Hate to break it to you, but first jobs are rarely ever good jobs, let alone your dream job. Rachel who wanted so much to be in fashion started as a waitress. Monica who was a qualified and experienced chef was compelled to work in an awful diner for a while.

And Chandler ended up in a line of work he detested. It was in their thirties that they settled down in jobs of their choices – Rachel in a famous fashion brand, Monica in a well-known restaurant as a head chef, and Chandler as a copywriter in an ad agency. Your twenties will be all about finding your space in your career. This will entail a lot of trial and error. But

don’t lose heart. Keep at it. You’ll get there.

RELATIONSHIPS ARE HARD

Contrary to what rom-coms tell you, falling in love and maintaining a relationship are super hard. It’s hard enough to meet eligible people in your twenties, harder still to start relationships with them. Awkward, one-off dates are more common.

Do you already think that all good guys/girls are either taken or gay? Be prepared to think that all the time in your twenties. Not because you’re cynical, but because as an adult your preferences narrow down considerably.

You know exactly what kind of person you want, but you’ll have to wade through many wrong ones before finding that right one. Be prepared for Janices, Tags, Davids, Monas, Richards, a variety of wine guys (not all called Paul) and maybe some hot firemen too. And remember: condoms are only 97% effective.

PARENTS ARE NO MORE ATMS

Like, duh. You have a job now. Pay for yourself. You will find that the comforts your parents provided you while growing up are now luxuries.

Your folks will still be around to give you advice, but they will no more be the 24x7 caretakers they once were.

And this will change your relationship with them entirely. Surprise! Your parents are not the monsters you once thought they were. They’re actually decent people you can have a civil conversation with. And you know what, they make sense. Yes, you will turn into your parents (or a version of them, like Monica did), but you won’t resent it.

MARRIAGES BECOME A BIG DEAL (BUT AREN’T) Everyone you know disappears into a black hole called marriage. And in this day and age of social media proliferation, every engagement,

wedding and baby shower will be a public event that will pressure you to get married and make babies too. Rachel was engaged to an orthodontist she had no feelings for.

Monica seriously considered settling down with Richard, a man who didn’t want kids while she did. Ross got married and divorced thrice! But then Rachel realised her independence was more important than securing a rich husband; Monica realised she didn’t want to compromise on what she wanted out of life; and Ross realised that marriages and divorces don’t need to define you and went on with his life. Bottomline: don’t ever let yourself be pressured into marriage.

OLD HOBBIES AND FRIENDS WILL GO AWAY

You’re not as old as Mr Heckles but still older than you were when you entered college. All aging comes with the by-product of accruing wisdom.

In your twenties you will realise that some hobbies and lifestyle choices are better left in your past (like Ross and his synth playing, and Chandler and his goofy hairstyle). Even some of the friends you made might drift away from you (anyone remember Kip, Chandler’s former roommate and Monica’s ex? No? Neither do they).

Don’t brood over it. Sometimes it’s better to let go.

“I DON’T EVEN HAVE A PLUH”

Since you’re an adult you think you need to have your entire adulthood planned. And that is just straight-up scary. But don’t get upset over it and drink a blender full of rum. While it’s not advisable to live as carefree and day-to-day as Phoebe “I don’t even have a pluh” Buffay, it’s also not necessary to construct detailed five year plans that extend for a lifetime.

Have a general idea about what you want from life. Save up. Don’t take loans to spend exorbitantly on stupid things. Start a retirement fund. And just live.

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Two decades and tons of inspirations ENTERTAINMENT FEATURE

Situation comedies, trendy hairstyles and the life of average 20-year-olds, Friends has been quite the source of inspiration.

Trishann Henriques takes a closer look at the many things that came about as a result of the one, the only, ‘Friends’ SITCOM SURGE

A bunch of friends living together, one apartment and a coffee shop for a hangout spot. A premise so simple and yet so relatable that so many shows followed cue. From How I Met Your Mother to The Big Bang Theory, Happy Endings, New Girl and so many more, most of the shows tried relentlessly to become the next Friends. But, need I say, failed!

Come on, admit it, we have all had major hair-envy-moment while watching Rachel walk, talk and eat. The way it bounced, the way it moved from side to side, just everything about it.

We’ve at least once visited our hairstyles and asked for ‘The Rachel’ haircut, the fact that it looked nothing like what it was supposed to is secondary, but yes, it happened.

Sarcasm and hair trends aside, Friends did teach us a thing or two about relationships. The infamous RossRachel ‘break’, Joey’s slew of one-night hook-ups, Ross’ homosexual wife, Janice – Chandler’s annoying girlfriend – these situations arise and these people do exist. Let’s just say Friends is the guide for everything relationships that we all might go through at some point in life.

“HOW YOU DOIN?”

HERM LEWIS/KIPA/CORBIS

THE RACHEL GREEN HAIRCUT

“WE’RE ON A BREAK”

Pick-up line or a generic greeting, make what you want of this used and abused ‘pleasantry’. To non-Friends viewers this might mean nothing, but use it on someone who’s watched the show and you are sure to make a new friend and exchange a couple of hi-fives in the name of Joey.

CHANDLER BING’S SARCASM

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If there is anyone who made sarcasm cool, it’s Chandler Bing. A Friends lover THE UNCONVENTIONAL has at some point used a Chandler Bing catchphrase LIFESTYLE on someone. Well, let’s just Friends created a revolution in terms of how the youth wanted to live their lives. Everyone who’s watched the show has at say it makes dealing with some point pictured moving in with their friends for the fun stupidity fun. and more for the independence. Some have dreamt of the life, many others have gone on to live the ‘Friends way’. yi

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TRAVEL

“W

hen I was walking in the mountains with the Japanese man and began to hear the water, he said, ‘What is the sound of the waterfall?’ ‘Silence,’ he finally told me.” – Jack Gilbert Waterfalls are one of the best showpieces of nature’s beauty in our country. Apart from being a film director’s staple for picturesque and romantic songs, waterfalls are also the perfect getaway spots for weary tourists.

And there’s no better time to visit one than during the monsoons when the pleasing climate coupled with lush greenery make for the perfect accessories (for the waterfalls, that is).

JOG FALLS

VMJMALALI, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

The monsoons and waterfalls go as much hand-in-hand as cinema and popcorn.

Vignesh Sundararaman recommends seven falls every nature junkie must visit

WATERFALL VITALS

HEIGHT: 259 metres BREADTH: 290 metres LOCATION: Karnataka (104 km from Shimoga; 379 km from Bangalore) NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: Talaguppa and Sagar NEAREST BUS STOP: Sagara and then Jog Falls bus stop YI TIP: There are about 2,500 steps to the bottom of the falls. We suggest you carry sufficient water and glucose to keep yourself hydrated.

Joga is a Kannada word that means falls. Many Kannada natives near the Sahyadri Mountains still use the word joga to mean falls. It is also known to locals as Gersoppa Falls and Jogada Gundi. This waterfall is considered the tallest, untiered fall (its fall is not broken into steps), and is a sight to behold during the monsoons when its entire expanse bursts forth with water. Adventure lovers have the option of trekking down the hill to the bottom of the falls. By the way, as a tribute to these falls, the Indian Postal Department issued a set of 15-rupee commemorative stamps in 2003.

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TRAVEL

R A G A WATERFALL S H D DU LLS VITALS FA

HEIGHT: 310 metres BREADTH: 100 metres LOCATION: Goa (57 km from Panaji, accessible via National Highway NH4A) NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: Dudhsagar YI TIP: The dirt road is very dusty, so carry a bandana or something to cover your face and hair. Ideally, be the early bird and catch the jeep before 8 am. Also, follow the unmarked trail on the left which is much safer to reach the base of the falls.

Dudhsagar literally translates to ocean of milk. When the water falls down a steep height of 310 meters, it really looks like milk gushing down. It is the sixth tallest waterfall in the subcontinent.

A small rest house is maintained in the forest by the Karnataka Forest Department and is the only place to stay while there. Roads are generally closed from June to September as fast flowing streams cross the roads.

Therefore, travelling by road to the fall is not such a good idea.

There are four possible trek routes to reach Dudhsagar Falls, of which only two are accessible in monsoon – Castle Rock Route and Kulem Route.

S L L A F E N U K

WATERFALL VITALS

HEIGHT: 200 metres LOCATION: Maharashtra (82 km from Pune; 18 km from Lonavala) NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: Lonavala NEAREST AIRPORT: Pune YI TIP: The ideal time to visit Kune Falls is midmonsoon when the falls are in full flow and the entire valley is camouflaged by greenery.

Ranked 14th tallest in the country, these are 200 meters high, three-tiered waterfalls. As the traveller crosses the last tunnel on the Old Mumbai-Pune highway, the falls becomes visible and are a treat for the eyes.

CALAMARIGIRL, FLICKR

TOPBESTTOURISTPLACES.BLOGSPOT.IN

S L L A F T A L BHIM

WATERFALL VITALS HEIGHT: 60 metres LOCATION: Rajasthan (35kms from Bundi) NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: Bundi YI TIP: Transportation is a bit sparse in this area.

Hiring a taxi may be your only option.

Rajasthan is not all about parched soil and boiling climate. The Bundi region of Rajasthan turns calm during the monsoon, allowing this beautiful waterfall to emerge. In fact, Bundi village receives more average rainfall than Delhi during the monsoons! Legend has it that this waterfall is the creation of Bhim, the strongest of the Pandavas, who created it for his mother Kunti.

Research data indicates that Bhimlat was formed due to an 8th century earthquake.The waterfall may be only 60 metres high, but the sheer fact that it is located in Rajasthan is tempting enough!

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WATERFALL VITALS

Athirappilly Falls are referred to as the Niagara of India. Located on the west-flowing Chalakudy river near the Vazhachal Forest Division, Athirappilly is a popular tourist destination. Surrounded by greenery, the waterfall seems quiet on top, but as you near the bottom of the fall, the thundering sound of the water overwhelms you.

The scenic beauty of the falls has always been attractive to filmmakers. It has been featured in movies like Dil Se, Guru, Raavan and Iruvar.

G N A I H T I G NOHSN LLS A F WATERFALL VITALS

The Nohsngithiang Falls are also known as the Seven Sisters Waterfalls and the HEIGHT: 315 metres Mawsmai Falls. The waterfall BREADTH: 70 metres is illuminated by the sun LOCATION: Cherrapunji, Meghalaya from dawn to dusk, and the (54 km from Shillong) vibrant colours of the setting NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: sun reflected by the waterfalls Guwahati is a beautiful sight to behold.

YI TIP: Since the falls flow only during Nohsngithiang Fall literally the rainy season visit them during means fall kissed by the sunset.

June, July and August.

L L A F L A K K A HOGEN

MITHUNKUNDU1983, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

HEIGHT: 120 metres BREADTH: 100 Metres LOCATION: Kerala (60 km from Thrissur; 30 km from Chalakudy town) NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: Chalakudy NEAREST AIRPORT: Kochi international airport YI TIP: Since Athirappilly is situated amidst thick forest, night riding is not advisable.

Also, refrain from swimming in unknown waters during the monsoon as it can prove to be dangerous.

EASYVIVEK.WORDPRESS.COM

PRANCHIYETTAN, WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Y L L I P P A R I ATH LLS FA

WATERFALL VITALS

The word Hogenakkal is formed from two Kannada words – hoge and HEIGHT: 315 metres kal. When the water falls, it appears BREADTH: 70 metres as if hoge (smoke) is emanating from LOCATION: Tamil Nadu (180 km the top of the kal (rock). It is also from Bangalore; 46 km from called Marikottayam by the people of Dharmapuri town) Tamil Nadu. Located on the banks NEAREST RAILWAY STATION: of River Kaveri, it is a major site of Mettur tourist attraction. Boating is allowed YI TIP: In the monsoon the falls during the drier seasons when the may be restricted to people due falls are not strong enough to disrupt to high currents and water level. the passage of the boats. But the best Therefore, it is advisable to check season to visit would be the monsoon and verify before planning a trip. when the river is in full flow.

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RELATIONSHIPS

HOW YOUNG

IS TOO YOUNG? S o exactly what’s the age limit for you not to ‘do it?’ Is it when you start to get the hang of what relationships mean, beyond the romcom movies on HBO? Or is it more like when your parents give you the freedom to ‘live life as you like’? If youth is supposed to be the fountain of life, isn’t it meant to be lived to the fullest? Or is there a different take on this – that we need our growing years to set the foundations of our adult lives? There’s no single universal answer for this question. Let’s see if can look at the issue through a (mostly) objective lens.

The writ of parents runs large in the world of teens, especially when it comes to dating and relationships.

Most parents are okay with it once you’ve crossed the threshold of eighteen. Some might cling on to you even after that but it usually gets better the older you get. Before that, consider yourself lucky if it’s allowed. It’s hard to understand this in your growing up years but parents really know what they’re doing. And though it might not seem that way to an adolescent, it’s always for the good of the child.

WHAT THE LAW SAYS As much as we would like, we are not really in control of our lives.

We live in civilised society, and just like in everything else, here too we must toe some guidelines. Of course, the law isn’t so bad that it regulates a permissible age to fall in love.

However, it is explicitly clear about the age of consent. It’s the same as when you get the chance to vote and

EVIL ERIN, FLICKR

WHAT YOUR PARENTS SAY

elect the governments of your country.

Eighteen is the golden number here, although it differs from country to country. Some countries have it as young as sixteen. But this is India, so if you’re under eighteen, you’re not eligible to have sex. Try otherwise and the law will book you for sexual assault or even rape.

WHAT YOUR INSTINCTS SAY

This directly clashes with the point above. Agreed you’ve in grown in height and body and have a hard time keeping your hormones in check. You need to however think from a rational point of view, as to whether you’re really ready for it or not. It’s not just a question of the

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What’s the right age to start dating? Razi Shaikh finds out

heap of avoidable trouble is another.

Let’s say you decide to start dating.

Your parents are cool with it and you’re really stoked about starting this important aspect of a grown up life. Your dates progress nicely, and you soon come round to thinking that you have something beautiful going between the two of you. A relationship is formed. So far so good.

Here comes the tricky part – the relationship itself. Can you handle your partner and his/her needs?

Can you imagine having someone constantly in your life? Can you trade off your moments of solitary privacy for the time you have to spend with your partner? Most importantly, can you handle the emotional needs of your partner’s and your own both?

If the thought of shouldering so many responsibilities is a scary thought, then you need to rethink your decision. Think hard and clear and be honest with yourself for your own good.

WHAT YOUR LIFE SAYS

law, it’s also about emotional maturity.

Says Siddharth Bhagalia, 19, “The age factor in dating and sex is subjective. If the relationship breaks apart, then one partner may overcome it. But the other might be emotionally devastated. If the relationship ends bitterly, it shouldn’t affect and traumatise one’s future.”

WHAT YOUR MIND SAYS

Now assuming that your mind is prepared to see the situation rationally, a few things should become amply clear. Have you thought about the situation and its consequences thoroughly? Being in the moment is one thing, getting yourself in a

Says Rutika Yeolekar, a journalism student, “Dating is a process of knowing someone. And it only works when you know yourself first. Sixteen or seventeen are ages when you’re exploring your own likes and dislikes.

Personally, I think your twenties are the right age to date someone when you learn to prioritise and have developed an understanding of you really are.”

Your life demands something – your undivided attention. What do you want to be as an adult? How do you see yourself shaping up over the next five-six years or so? What are your plans, your dreams and how do you plan to fulfil them? At this juncture in life, what and who are your priorities? It’s a good life out there. Dating, love and relationships can confirm that belief. But anything too early and anything too late can mess up things. As they say, there’s a right time for everything. Wait for the right time! yi SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 65

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FITNESS

WHICH

YOGI ARE YOU? Want to start practicing yoga but don’t know where to begin? Take Pankhuri Shukla’s handy guide on figuring out which style of yoga would suit you best

How would you describe yourself? (a) Calm and composed (b) An overachiever (c) Determined (d) Patient (e) Laid back What is your purpose behind doing yoga? (a) I want to reach a state of higher consciousness for peace of mind and inner awareness (b) I want to feel energised (c) I need some healing for my body (d) I want to involve myself in longperiod meditation (e) IDK, it seems cool?

How much yoga time can you squeeze in a week?

(Although doing yoga everyday would be the best option!) (a) A couple of times a week maybe, can’t say (b) 6 days a week. Need a day to serve that hangover (c) An hour every alternate day (d) Ample! An hour or even more daily! (e) Umm...

What type of yoga do you have in mind? (a) I want to go for something old school (b) I want something that is socially acceptable

(c) I’m looking to clear myself of stress, insomnia, asthma and other similar ailments (d) I want to go for diverse but related exercises (e) I don’t exactly have anything in mind What would you be comfortable doing? (a) Something more inward and silence oriented, not athletic (b) A combination of physical movements, breathing work and meditation (c) Attaching myself to blankets, pillows and more. I love props! (d) Holding poses for long periods with ample of stretching (e) Err... sleeping!

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MOSTLY As

You are probably looking for something that makes you feel alive whilst making you the talk of the town. Power Yoga is totally for you. While it’s an object of North American society’s growing fascination, its roots are very much Indian. It is normally practiced in a heated room of approximately 40.6 degree Celsius.

Recommended YouTube channel: Bryan n Rob

Looks like you’re going old school, my friend. Ananda Yoga would suit you best. It is a traditional form of yoga that aims at self-awareness and a higher consciousness of mind.

Peaceful surroundings along with a composed temperament are essential for a prolific yoga session.

Recommended YouTube channel: anandayoga

MOSTLY Ds

MOSTY Cs

If you’ve fallen prey to the ubiquitous stress, insomnia and other such ailments, then Restorative Yoga is certainly something you could explore.

Being a therapeutic yoga form, it will require a substantial amount of dedication on your part. After all, no pain no gain! It generally makes use of a lot of easily available props like blankets, pillows, bolsters, blocks, etc. Practicing under supervision is recommended.

Recommended YouTube channel: Ekhart Yoga TV

MOSTLY Es

Since you like some stretching and meditation, Yin Yoga is for you. Yin Yoga is the stereotypical yoga you see on TV with a lot of slow body movements and stretches. It stems from the Chinese philosophy of Yin-Yang – contrary forces in nature are also complimentary in nature.

The asanas apply stress on connective tissues of the body and aim at improving flexibility.

Recommended YouTube channel: Bernie Clark

Hate to break it to you, but yoga isn’t exactly your forte. You are probably going through this just for the heck of it. Find another way to exercise and remain calm. An activity you enjoy would help you much more than an hour of forced yoga.

MOUNTAIN POSE (TADASANA) The foundation of all yoga poses. You’re essentially standing in the ‘Attention!’ position. Helps correct your posture, maintain balance and develop a calm focus.

ASANAS AND BREATHING EXERCISES FOR THE BEGINNER

MOSTLY Bs

TREE POSE (VRIKSASANA) Stand in the mountain pose, shift all your weight to your left leg, place your right feet on the inner thigh of your left leg. Join your hands in a Namaste position and stand still for a few minutes.

Repeat with your right leg.

EQUAL BREATHING (SAMA VRITTI) Inhale for a count of three and exhale for a count of three. Repeat this cycle over and over again. Eventually increase your duration to five or six seconds and so on.

ALTERNATIVE NOSTRIL BREATHING (NADI SHODHANA) This breathing exercise is supposed to bring calm and balance between the left and right sides of your brain. Sit with legs crossed, place your right thumb on your right nostril and inhale through the left nostril.

Place your middle finger on your left nostril and exhale through the right nostril.

Repeat using your left hand and then switch back.

GUIDED VISUALISATION All you have to do is find your ‘happy place’ – somewhere you are most comfortable.

It could be a voice guiding you or an imaginary visual in your mind with some slow Beatles song playing in the background. Focus on the image and inhale-exhale.

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POINT OF VIEW

E

Dead Me Tell No T n ales

arlier in the week when I heard of Robin Williams taking his own life, I was shocked beyond reason. He who once made the world laugh is now no more. When the world sees a happy, well-adjusted energetic person it might not be a reality.

The news of the death of one of Hollywood’s greatest comedians baffled me. Prior to that, many years ago, Dale Carnegie who wrote selfhelp books on happiness also took his life due to depression. Instances like these make me wonder what happiness is all about, how does one define and quantify it and more importantly, how do we find it in our lives?

True WHAT IS happiness HAPPINESS? Is it success and material possessions? be! Because is much then AlexanderCan’tMcQueen, a celebrated, loved and wealthy more than to the point of excess fashion designer, would definitely not material have taken his life. Could it be pain and tragedy that cause a possession person to end their lives? I doubt pain and unhappiness s, arethatpartbecause of every human’s life fame and existence. Yes, I know, depression and drug overdose are obvious wealth, sa causes, but in the first place, they ys occur due to inadequacies born out of unhappiness.

Nisha Name, fame, wine, song, all the conveniences that are supposed to JamVwal make life ‘happy’ and ‘comfortable’…

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them? What was so lacking that all this and even life itself was not worth it? A mystery most tragic and one that we will never know, as the saying goes, ‘dead men tell no tales’.

Difficult as it may be to understand – that having got it all, cannot provide long term peace and lasting happiness, my conjecture is that accumulations and adulations cannot solve problems.

Quite obviously they are hollow and life can seem empty despite the props that one lusts after. The real high is in the journey within us. It is where the meaning and value of existence lies.

FINDING PEACE

I recently sat down, reflected and edited out those people whom I found spent copious amounts of time in gossip and laughing at others’ life choices, ambition and pain. My friend of eighteen years, I found, left me exhausted after every meeting. I realised that Sandeep Seth must be got rid of. So like a cancer that was growing in my life I forcibly extricated him. We have to make tough calls to lighten our burdens and allow ourselves to soar and fly.

Last week my best friend did not reply to my WhatsApp messages despite three reminders. I was offended. Turned out she hadn’t got even one. Jumping to conclusions and making hypotheses’ can be painful to you and can complicate life. Do not think too much; instead, be calm, communicate and don’t bottle up problems. Have positive people around you. Happy people, calm friends and objective counsellors can help make life more equanimous.

Dale Carnegie

Robin Williams

SIMPLIFY LIFE

And most importantly, simplify.

Simplify life, simplify living and keep happy. Appreciate the prized values of giving, sharing, kindness, generosity, love and helping others around you.

You will be surprised how much self worth, joy and long term peace and happiness these qualities will bring. yi

Read more of Nisha’s point of view at www.nishajamvwal. blogspot.in, tweet to her @ nishjamvwal and write to her at nishjamwal@gmail.com

Alexander McQueen

COURTESY ALEXANDERMCQUEEN.COM

BE YOURSELF

Be who you are without trying hard to be what your friends and family expect you to be. Allow people around you to understand your needs, your feelings, communicate and try also never to compare. You can never be as good as, as rich as, as happy as… Each of us has a unique life and must work out our own happy quotient through spiritual

GET RID OF NEGATIVITY

HOT GOSSIP ITALIA, FLICKR

I’m not going to preach from spiritual guides, it’s for us all to find our own answers, but when curiosity took me to hear Sadhguru Jaggi, one thing that resonated clearly to my understanding is what he said about happiness and life – “Even earthworms can make a living. There is life beyond work and career and earning a living and eating sleeping and procreating. There is the real meaning of living – going into ones inner consciousness and delving into the self.” I get it. That true connect with ourselves, being comfortable in our own company, finding peace with our demons, failures, losses, coming to peace and finding reconciliation with it all.

To my mind, this is what allows us to live with ourselves and not reject and end our lives. In a more general sense, to be kind, generous, giving, forgiving, averting gossip and negative conversations are not words from a moral science lesson; they do up the feel good factor immensely. They give you a sense of general well-being.

calm and active positive pursuits of contemplation and action. Extricate people who pull you down from your life. The universe is full of beautiful people and places. Why waste time with people who tire you, use you and abuse you? You must learn to edit and sift out the chaff from the wheat.

It is a difficult exercise to throw out the debris, but each of us has to. As a growing-up process, do it forcibly.

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FASHION

ANUJ BHUTANI

CHANDINI MOHAN

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G-SPOT the

Gadgets Gizmos Geeks

By Nikhil Punjabi

The best headphones for gaming

For those who take gaming seriously, here are the best headphones around LOGITECH G35 7.1-CHANNEL SURROUND SOUND HEADSET `9435 FEATURES 40 mm driver; frequencies 20 Hz-20 kHz 7.1-channel Dolby audio Three programmable G-keys Real-time voice morphing and sound effects PROS  Padded comfort with perfect fit headband  Quick access keys  Folding noise-cancelling mic with light

ROCCAT KAVE 5.1 `8500 FEATURES Real 5.1 Surround Sound Driver size 40 mm, frequencies 20 Hz-20 kHz Microphone with mute LED – fully rotatable and removable Dual sound profile: movie & game Adjustable vibration unit for realistic gaming experience PROS  One of the best surround sound headphones  Great folding-and-compact design so is easy to carry  Super responsive control pad

CONS  Build quality is average  USB connectivity only

CONS  Sub-par for music  Bass lacks precision  Build quality is mediocre

SENNHEISER PC 330 `8268

STEELSERIES SIBERIA V2 `6569

FEATURES Sound pressure level (SPL): 112dB 30 mm driver, frequencies 14Hz-22kHz Length of the cable is about 10 feet Minimalistic eye-pleasing design Utilises 3.5 mm connectors

FEATURES 50 mm drivers, Sound Pressure Level (SPL) 1 kHz, frequencies 10 Hz28 kHz Tiny, adjustable mic Jack with inline volume control

PROS  Accompanied with carrying case  Tilt feature is smart and useful  Superb mic performance

PROS  The most comfortable, fullsize headphones for pro gamers  Large drivers reproduce quality sound  Huge ear cups with soft, thick leather-padded cushions  SteelSeries-trademarked headband that ensure accurate suspension

CONS  Headband and cans sit too tightly on the ear  Bass frequency response is a little weak  Overall build is average

CONS  Ears tend to sweat after prolonged usage  Doesn’t come with a carrying case or any adapters  Limited customer support (email only)

FINAL VERDICT: It’s a tie between the Steelseries Siberia V2 and Sennheiser PC 330. Both offer brilliant sound and have good mic quality. You can’t go wrong with either. But if budget is an issue, go for the cheaper Steelseries pair.

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PS FREE AP

of the

MONTH

Type like a pro

With custom keyboards far more superior than your default phone keyboard

KII Platform: Android Description: Kii Keyboard may not be

the most unique keyboard here, but is still a solid one. It combines the best features from other famous Android keyboards in an all-in-one package.

Except for the usual letters and symbols, it supports various different emojis and has regular seasonal themes available too.

FLEKSY

IKEYBOARD

Platforms: Android, iOS Description: Fleksy is one of the fastest

Platform: Android Description: Free with the best colourful

keyboards in the world. Easy, smooth, colourful and delightfully easy to type – so comfortable you can even type without looking. It is the only custom keyboard available for free on iOS as of now; the Android version comes with a 30-day trial.

emojis, emoticons and text faces, this app will liven your typing experience. It also provides several colourful themes for your keyboard and supports stickers and picture backgrounds.

TOUCHPAL X Platforms: Android,

coming soon to iOS 8

Description: With

TouchPal, you don’t need to type letter by letter. Just swipe and the app will take care of the rest. To input even faster, enable the WAVE feature and type entire sentences just by sliding from one word to another.

Flip up the space bar to access the emojis and emoticons.

SWIFTKEY Platforms: Android, coming soon to iOS 8 Description: Earlier a paid app, SwiftKey recently became

free on the Play Store. This award-winning app delivers super fast typing, the best next-word prediction, smarter autocorrect, emoji prediction, support for over 800 emojis and much more.

NOTE: With the launch of iOS 8, Apple has allowed installations of third party keyboard apps. Keyboard apps like Swiftkey, Swype and Touchpal will be ready to download from the App store as soon as your device is updated to iOS 8.

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I am planning to buy a new computer. Should I go for a machine with the traditional hard disk drive (HDD) or the new solid state drive (SSD)?

Buying a hard drive used to be simple once. These days it’s a little more difficult as there are two very different technologies to choose from – conventional hard drives (HDD) and solid state drives (SSD). SSDs ditch the platters, the heads and all those fast-moving components present in the HDD that cause problems, replacing them with something much simpler: memory chips. These drives use flash memory which is able to store data even without any power. In layman’s terms, SSD can be thought of as an oversized and more sophisticated version of the humble USB memory stick.

SSD drives generally have low capacities and high prices, but you do get excellent performance. Its access time is 50 times faster than a regular drive, but its read and write speeds are much closer to HDD technology.

Go for a small capacity SSD suiting your requirements (say 64GB) on which you can install your OS and heavy applications. Save your digital library of movies, music and sitcoms on the conventional hard drive. You’ll benefit from faster boot times, and a general speed boost as Windows components are loaded more quickly. But if you’re looking for a simple computer to satisfy only basic needs (web browsing, email, word processing) then an HDD is sufficient.

AN HDD MIGHT BE THE RIGHT CHOICE IF:  Don’t want to spend much money  You need lots of storage capacity, up to 2TB/4TB (though SSDs are constantly narrowing this gap)  Don’t care too much about how fast a computer boots up or opens programs AN SSD MIGHT BE THE RIGHT CHOICE IF:  You are willing to pay for faster performance  Don’t mind limited storage capacity or can work around that  If you need a drive which is shock resistant (not losing your data on a single drop), silent and lighter.

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2/21/2014 9:55:18 8/27/2014 8:49:03 PM

M U S I C M ATC H M A K ER M U S I C M ATC H M A K ER

BEST OF

M o v i e s

/

T V

/

M u s i c

/

B o o k s

WHIZZ. POP. BANG!

Imogen Heap’s fourth studio album Sparks has been three years in the making (yes, three). What started out as a project asking fans to send in sound bytes of anything (a washing machine, a running train, etc) has culminated in fourteen gorgeous tracks that draw from multiple genres – trip-hop, new age, dream pop, alternative rock and even EDM (courtesy a collaboration with deadmau5) and Bollywood (courtesy a collaboration with Vishal-Shekhar). While the collaborative tracks are a bit of a let down, the rest of the album truly sparks with Heap’s genius. As a concept album, it fails, owing to no cohesion between tracks, but as a collection of songs, it’s a clear winner.

ELECTRONICA RÖYKSOPP

TRIP-HOP HOOVERPHONIC

While Belgian musical collective Hooverphonic, much like Heap, defies genre categorisation, trip-hop is largely their jump-off point. With a female vocalist who can sing at the highest possible pitch and still not sound like a wailing cat, Hooverphonic blends beautiful, soulful sounds with her vocal harmonies.

Electronic and synthesised music, but never jarring.

Norwegian band Röyksopp finds that sweet spot where electronica and ethereal vocals can indeed coexist, conjuring images of whimsy in the minds of listeners.

THE MANY GENRES OF IMOGEN HEAP

AMBIENT/NEW AGE ENYA

Enya is the queen of layered harmonies.

With minimal instruments – and sometimes none – she uses the power of her mesmerising voice to draw in listeners. Like Heap, Enya plays all her accompanying instruments, often favouring the piano.

DREAM POP A SUNNY DAY IN GLASGOW

This American band is known for its textured yet melodic songs. And as to how they named themselves, co-founder Ever Nalens had been living in Glasgow before returning to Philadelphia in the US where he met the other founder, Ben Daniels, who had also returned to the US from UK. However, Nalens quit the band shortly after.

M U S I C M ATC H M A K ER M U S I C M ATC H M A K ER

iMHO

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QUICK FIRE WITH PATRICK BRYSON

1. Tell us something about your book.

It’s a comic crime thriller set in Delhi and Punjab, with an international cast of characters. The hero is an Australian living in South Delhi and working at the Australian High Commission. He likes cricket, loves beer, has a problem with commitment, but has a very strong moral compass.

2. Do you indentify with any characters in your debut book?

I identify with all of them, whether male or female, Aussie or Indian. I know each of them intimately.

3. Which character did you have most fun writing?

I loved writing Dom’s scenes with Goldy, and his encounters with Warwick. Basically any of the scenes where I got to show off my Hindi and Aussie slangs.

4. What is your tip to deal with writers block?

I’ve never suffered from it, so perhaps I’m the wrong one to ask. But when you are working on a story, or a big project, try and do some every day. It’s just like exercising. Once you get into the habit, it becomes easier and easier.

5. An Indian author’s work you love.

R.K. Narayan.

Read more of our interview with Patrick Bryson on www. youthincmag.com

C A P E R S C O M E D I C

The Sad Demise of Manpreet Singh is a hilarious yet grim depiction of Australian visa fraud investigator – Dominic McLeod’s colourful odyssey in New Delhi. Known for his prowess at downing bottle after bottle of beer, playing cricket like his life depended on it and cussing like a local Dilliwala, he makes quite an interesting protagonist.

The Sad Demise of Manpreet Singh journeys the world of visa frauds at the hands of one of Delhi’s most popular visa agents, Enterprise Begins. ‘Biscuit’ McLeod’s expedition unfolds after the untimely and mysterious death of a junior colleague, Manpreet Singh. McLeod’s inquisitive temperament leads him to discover a web of illicit activities transpiring under the noses of the Australian High Commission.

His expeditions lead him to discover several conspiracies, initiated by Indian agents and Austraians from the High Commission hand-in-glove with them. As the story proceeds, there are introductions of a number of characters who make the story more interesting adding to its humour quotient, its drama and its versatile plot. Pick up debut author Patrick Bryson’s book if you’re in the mood for an interesting story, some dry humour and a brisk read.

By Trishann Henriques

O T H E R

OF DEATH, VISA FRAUDS AND UNADULTERATED DILLI HUMOUR

Wedding Night Author: Sophie Kinsella Genre: Romantic, comedy

The Outsorcerer’s Apprentice Author: Tom Holt Author: Fantasy, comedy

The Extra Ordinary Life of Frank Derrick, Age 81 Author: J.B Morrison Author: Drama, comedy

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INDIA’S WORST ANIMATED MOVIES With life-like animations from Pixar and Dreamworks, we’ve come to expect a certain excellence from animation, which, unfortunately, India hasn’t been able to deliver. Here are some Indian animations that we wouldn’t even call satisfactory SONS OF RAM

The characters are as outlined and basic as you’d find in a children’s colouring book and the colours you’d find in a 12pack colour pencil set. Seriously, you could pause it anywhere and give a child drawing practice.

CHEENTI CHEENTI BANG BANG

A looming war between the black and white ants and animal characters, this movie had plenty of potential. So obviously, it was painfully bad with bright dye-like colours and weird faces. If you’ve seen this, or know anyone who has, go watch Pixar’s A Bug’s Life for therapy.

TOONPUR KA SUPER HERO No. Just no. This would make an excellent drinking game: every time this movie makes you cringe, take a shot. Not even Ajay Devgn and Kajol with their acting skills could save this obvious disaster.

ROADSIDE ROMEO

You can sort of deceive kids into watching badly animated movies, but we don’t even see a child sitting through the whole of this. Bad graphics, bad dialogues, bad music and an overused plotline.

BARU – THE WONDER KID

This kid will make you wonder deeply about why this movie was allowed to exist.

Were the filmmakers even trying? It’s like an animation student’s first assignment submission, if they were from the worst college in the world.

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M O V I E S TA R S Y O U P R O B A B LY M I S S E D O N T V JAMES McAVOY

Was seen in: State of Play, Shameless Even with his goofy hair and boyish features, his eyes had the come-hither sexiness that still prevails. That is truly one fine looking man.

KEIRA KNIGHTLY

BRADLEY COOPER

Was seen in: A Village Affair, Oliver Twist She was on TV as an exceptionally cute and innocent child, demonstrating an early talent for the acting craft. We do not regret the development though!

Was seen in: Treks in a Wild World, Globe Trekker Before he became the personification of perfection that he is, Cooper was jumping mountains and pumping up his adrenaline with trekking adventures.

LEONARDO DICAPRIO

Was seen in: The Outsiders, The New Lassie, Growing Pains From a child star to a teenage heartthrob to an eventual Oscar-misser, between the small and the big screens we see Leo’s development and acting growth.

IRRFAN KHAN

Was seen in: Bharat Ek Khoj, Jai Hanuman, Star Bestsellers India’s own Morgan Freeman was in shows about social awareness and Indian heritage as well as an oldie-but-goodie Star Plus show.

Not a bad sign of the things to come.

MORGAN FREEMAN

Was seen in: The Electric Company, Dracula From appearing in an educational show where he taught kids grammar and reading, to turning into a blood-sucking vampire, this legend’s versatility came through early in his career.

T V B AT T L E : N E E D L E S S T E E N AG E D R A M A S THE OC

Highlighting the different worlds money creates, The OC is good in every episode only on an extremely minimalistic level.

Beyond that, don’t worry, you have your usual relationship drama and identity crises lined up. And of course, people who look too good to be true (seriously, TWISTED THE SECRET LIFE OF THE Mischa Barton needs to eat a cheesy, Murder. Jail. Release. One boy (the AMERICAN TEENAGER gooey pizza).

With pregnancies, marriages and murderer) and two girls (his “best friends” Why watch it (if you must): It might V/S actually help you as a stuck-up rich V/S everything except career goals on – with benefits maybe). Justification their mind, it’s a surprise these for murder and a shady father. The brat to sympathise with other (as in, teenagers have gotten themselves into benevolence of this show to originality (or poor) people. college. Although it does humanise and not), a nail-biting mystery (again, or not) and support teenage pregnancies, it is rife the mirrored ‘s’ in its title make it perfect with silly relationships and break-ups. for staring at hot people and analysing their Why watch it (if you must): Most of messed up lives. its actors can actually act, and well.

Why watch it (if you must): For Avan Jogia, If dramas are your thing, you’ll be the actor who plays the so-hot-but-so-wrong engrossed. murderer.

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hangout  

PLACES AND EVENTS FOR THE MONTH

BRICK HOUSE CAFÉ, MUMBAI

Are good food, booze and an Instagram-worthy restaurant on your mind? Then we’ve found you an applause-worthy place.

CUISINE: European, Continental FOOD AND DRINKS: We started with the Bagel Pizza, the Volcano BBQ Chicken Wings and the Bang Bang Shrimps. The pizza was good but not the best we’ve had. The chicken wings were the best and the shrimps were crispy and lush with flavour. The Arugula Pizza screamed authenticity with its raw flavor. The Solo Polo Pizza was a delicious, complete meal in itself. The Epic Burger, with beef and chicken variations, was clearly epic, as was the Spicy Veg Burger. The deserts were limited but sinfully satisfying. Among the drinks, the Candy Floss Cocktail and the Dutch Kettle were wonders.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: With a fresh, grunge theme, BHC is totally ‘hep’. Wednesdays is ladies’ night while weekends are packed. House music plays constantly too. BHC bubbles with promise and excitement.

Greenfield Apartments, End of Lokhandwala Market, Andheri West, Mumbai - Nirva Vira

000

`1 n per perso

FRANCESCO’S PIZZERIA, MUMBAI

00

`6 n per perso

Hidden in an under-construction building within the Phoenix Mills mall, Francesco’s is a surprisingly warm eatery for Italian aficionados.

CUISINE: Italian, fusion FOOD AND DRINKS: Start off with the cold coffee – it’s blended well, although a tad on the sweet side. The pizzas here are all fusion – Caesar’s salad on a pizza, nachos on a pizza, etc.

Opt for The Brutus – the Caesar’s salad one.

The fettuccini is touch-and-go; if you choose the mushroom fettuccini, be prepared for strong flavours. The beetroot ravioli, while an interesting concept has a more garlic-y aftertaste and than a beet-y one. Finish off your meal with a ‘broffle’ – a brownie-waffle which might be one of the best desserts you will ever eat.

OVERALL IMPRESSION: The eclectic fusion menu has something for everyone. You can enjoy a good meal even when on a tight budget.

Shop 9-11, Next to L’vista Furnitures, Skyzone, High Street Phoenix, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai - Aparna Sundaresan

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VEDGE, MUMBAI Vedge, short for ‘vegetarian with an edge’, is not at a complete disadvantage when stacked against its competition. This only green restaurant makes a difference in the city’s gastronomic landscape by offering modern dishes with a twist.

CUISINE : Multi-cuisine FOOD : In a restaurant that is limited to just vegetarian dishes, the menu steps up the game with a blend of multi-cuisine and fusion fare such as the Chukandar Ki Galouti and the Cottage Cheese Potli, immuring a filling of paneer bhurji.

Alternatively, you can fill up on the Khow Suey, a delectable and toothsome dish that is an entire meal by itself, making it the best dish on their menu.

OVERALL : The restaurant has a rugged and youthful vibe. The décor is mixture of wooden tables and aluminum benches with trinkets from across the world scattered through, adding a pleasant surprise.

Ground Floor, Fun Republic Mall, Shah Industrial Estate, Opposite Laxmi Industrial Estate, New Link Road, Andheri (West), Mumbai - Dhwani Chhedda

`1800

n per perso

EVENTS THIS MONTH

INDIA FILM PROJECT An online film-making competition where you will be given a theme and 50 hours to create a 5-8 minute film. Besides the competition, there will also be a workshop and panel discussions. Rush over to the website; registrations close on 7 September.

All India – 12 to 14 September

ZIRO FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

An Indian outdoor festival in the Ziro Valley, one of the most picturesque valleys of the country. The line-up includes bands like Indus Creed, Superfuzz, Ganesh Talkies, Laxmi Bomb and a lot more! Camp outdoors and enjoy the music, food and drinks.

Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh – 25 to 28 September

RADIO JOCKEY AND STAGE ANCHOR WORKSHOP An interactive workshop with RJ Hardeep Chandpuri and anchor Saibal Sinha. From voice grooming and scriptwriting to recording methodology, this is a must for aspiring artists.

Bangalore – 6 and 7 September Lucknow – 20 and 21 September SEPTEMBER 2014 Youth Incorporated 81

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TRENDS OF THE MONTH

_GRAFFITI

Lit tle things fr the Emmoym s S

Ice bucket goes Halloween

Awareness about ALS is great and the donations are even better, but the commercialisation of this internet craze is just wrong. BrandsonSale.com is selling the Ice Bucket Challenge costume for Halloween. That fact alone is scarier than the costume itself. Where do trends go when they die?

Halloween, it seems.

L at est in ge nder sh aming

New matrimonia portal iitiimshaadi.com is exl ac tly what it sounds like – a matchm aking service for the academic roy alty of India. Like we needed any mo avenues to shame the non-IITre and IIM degree holders. And eve more messed up – its males n members need to be from thes two institutes but its female e members can be from anywhere, because, you know, women are stupid. *Facepalm*

News on social media?

Preposterous!

Ironically, the T OI group has

arah Silverman showed off her liqu pot. Breakid Bad’s Aaroing Paul cause n d his wife’s website to crash.

Sherlock co-creato Steven Mo r ffa revealed t season 4 would be “devastati n and that g” it story arc s reduced th cast to tea e r Well, sh!t. s.

BLU N DER Y E A R S

prohibited its journalists from posting links to their stories in their social media feeds. Not happy? Then hand over your password; the company will overlook and publish posts at its discretion in your name.

Even after you quit.

By Lavanya Karthik

82 Youth Incorporated SEPTEMBER 2014

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RNI Number: MAHENG/2011/38909 Postal Regd. No: MCW/293/2012 -14 Posted at Mumbai Patrika Channel Sorting Office GPO, Mumbai 400001 on 4th & 5th of every month Date of Publication: 1st of every month

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8/27/2014 10:36:40 PM